Pipe Welding

Pipe welding at a fabrication shop in Pasadena, on the Houston Ship Channel: pipe sizes and schedules, end preparation and fit-up, open-root SMAW with cellulosic electrodes, GTAW roots and purging, hot pass, fill and cap, the 1G, 2G, 5G and 6G positions and what they qualify under ASME Section IX, downhill pipeline practice under API 1104, socket welds and small bore, bend tests and radiography under ASME B31.3, and a capstone 6G test and refinery spool package.

WLD-320 12 lessons · 3 h 16 min ▶ Video lessons coming soon

Offered by HSM University · Welding

This is the American version of this course. See the Canadian version.

What you'll learn

Describe where pipe welders work, the piping and pipeline codes that govern their welds, the difference between shop and field welding, and estimate pipe welding work in diameter-inches
Identify pipe by nominal size, schedule and markings, calculate bore and mass from standard dimensions, and select and orient butt-weld fittings, socket fittings and flanges while keeping material traceable
Cut and bevel pipe ends to the standard 37.5 degree preparation, check bevel angle, land and squareness, clean ends correctly, and calculate groove area and weld metal for a joint
Fit pipe joints with an even gap and acceptable hi-lo, correct misalignment, join unequal walls as specified, and place and prepare tack welds and preheat to the procedure
Run open-root SMAW roots with cellulosic electrodes uphill on fixed joints, controlling the keyhole, electrode angle and rhythm, and make sound stops, restarts and tie-ins
Run GTAW open roots on carbon steel pipe by dabbing, feeding through the gap or lay wire, plan purges with dams where needed, and join GTAW roots to SMAW fill
Weld hot passes, fill passes and caps with correct pass sequence, staggered restarts, preheat, interpass control and heat input, and meet the code limits for the cap
Weld pipe in the 1G, 2G, 5G and 6G positions with planned body positions, and determine the position, diameter and thickness ranges a pipe test qualifies
Compare uphill and downhill progressions, explain how pipeline crews and tie-ins work, and recognize the pipeline codes, qualification tests and acceptance approaches
Fit and weld socket welds with the required expansion gap and fillet size, weld small-bore branch outlets, and explain seal welding and vibration failures
Examine pipe welds visually, prepare and evaluate bend specimens from fixed-position coupons, plan and interpret random radiography, and apply progressive examination after a rejection
Pass a 6G open-root combination test and weld a code spool package from weld map to radiography, repair, hydrostatic test and turnover documents

Course content

12 lessons · 3 h 16 min total · final exam

1 Pipe welding in industry 17 min · quiz
2 Pipe, fittings and schedules 15 min · quiz
3 Pipe end preparation: cutting, bevels and cleaning 16 min · quiz
4 Fit-up, alignment and tacking 16 min · quiz
5 Open-root technique with SMAW 16 min · quiz
6 GTAW root passes and purging on pipe 16 min · quiz
7 Hot pass, fill and cap 16 min · quiz
8 Pipe positions: 1G, 2G, 5G and 6G 17 min · quiz
9 Uphill and downhill pipe welding 17 min · quiz
10 Small-bore and socket welds 16 min · quiz
11 Pipe weld testing: visual, bends and radiography 17 min · quiz
12 Capstone: the 6G pipe test and the Unit 4 spool package 17 min · quiz
E Final exam 20 questions

Requirements

Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.