Global Relevance in Welding

Derailing of a Plan. . . .

Presented by

Walter J. Sperko, P.E.

ISO TC 44 Welding and Allied Processes

• This committee covers:– Filler metals– Safety– Equipment– Testing of Welds– Testing of Procedures– Testing of Personnel– Excludes cross-country pipeline welding

ISO TC 44

• History– ISO has had standards covering these items for

decades.– Those standards were European Standards with

ISO cover sheets and numbers– The were not used anywhere, even in Europe– Most countries has their own standards

covering these subjects.

EU Issued Directives

• One directive was that standards on many things were to be consolidated

• Welding was included in this effort and money was provided.

• CEN spearheaded the effort.

• CEN realized the value of having CEN’s work recognized beyond Europe,

The Vienna Agreement

• CEN and ISO discussed preparation of standards that would be suitable for both Europe and the rest of the world and developed the Vienna Agreement.

• The Vienna Agreement allowed standards to be prepared by either an ISO Committee or by a CEN Committee.

The Vienna Agreement

• Once a standard was developed (FDIS), it was parallel voted in both organizations.

• The plan -- turn EN practices into ISO Standards.

• Puts the EU on the High Road in WTO since they would be following ISO standards (recognized as “international” by default).

Standards Prepared “CEN Lead”

• The writer participated in the CEN meetings as an ISO observer beginning in 1995. Two observers were permitted to attend.

• In many cases, the starting point was the existing EN welding standards.

• Although US comments were duly considered, any substantial change in direction was non-persuasive.

Status of Welding Standards

• The standard on grouping of base metals (ISO 15608) was 95% consistent with the US grouping system (ASME “P-numbers”)

• Standards on filler metals and electrodes were developed in the International Institute of Welding (IIW). After 27 years of stalemate, “Cohabited” Standards were developed and published (2004)

Status of Welding Standards

• Standards on Welding Procedure Qualification (ISO 15609/15614) were developed in CEN based on European Practices.

• Publication as ISO Standards began in 2000.• The US and Canada voted against them in

ISO, but Europe had the votes.• The EU consultant reviewed the work for

compliance with PED requirements.

Status of Welding Standards

• Standards on Welder Qualification were developed in CEN based on European practices.

• Publication as ISO Standards began in 1999.

• The EU consultant reviewed the work for compliance with PED requirements.

• The US and Canada voted against them in ISO, but Europe had the votes.

Status of Welding Standards

• One key standard on qualification of welders for welding on Carbon, Alloy and Stainless Steel (ISO 9606-1) was contentious -- even within CEN!

• Parallel Enquiry as DIS was started in late 1999.

• Over 250 comments were received. These were addressed at 5 meetings in 2001 and 2002.

ISO 9006-1

• In November, 2001, CEN 121 SC2 decided that the standard would go forward for a 2-month technical enquiry within CEN and ISO.

• If no substantial comments were received, the standard would go forward for vote as FDIS.

• The draft contained the following statement on the cover page:

ISO 9006-1• Please pay attention that technical

comments are not allowed on items which were discussed at the past two CEN/TC 121/SC 2 meetings, and, therefore, will not be considered anymore.

• The document was discussed again at a CEN meeting in Berlin in May, 2002.

• The US and Canada requested that a second DIS ballot be circulated instead of as FDIS.

ISO 9006-1• At the meeting, the UK, Denmark, US and Canada

voted against the motion for 9606-1 to go forward as FDIS. Since only 10 members were present, that vote would have failed -- except that the US and Canada were ISO observers and their votes did not count. . . .

• However, the UK and Denmark voted to go forward with the FDIS in the formal voting.

• Again, the Europeans had the vote. The plan was working. . . .

Global Relevance

• In June, 2002, the US and Canada issued a request to the TC 44 SC 11 Secretariat requesting that ISO 9606-1 be circulated as DIS and that all comments be resolved in ISO rather than in CEN.

• CEN refused, claiming that all procedures of the Vienna agreement had been fulfilled.

• ISO pushed for a second DIS ballot

Global Relevance

• CEN continued to refuse.• July 23, 2002, ISO refused to allow ISO 9606-1 to

proceed to FDIS and decoupled it from the Vienna Agreement

• March, 2003, ISO TMB resolution 1/2003 on global relevance was issued.

• ISO TMB resolution 5/2003 recognized that the draft of ISO 9606-1 was not globally relevant and requested that TC44 SC 11 submit a course of action by June, 2003.

Global Relevance

• If TC 44 SC 11 was not able to agree on a course of action to make ISO 9606-1 globally relevant, the existing ISO 9606-1 would be withdrawn and work stopped.

• TC 44 SC 11 dithered until September, 2003 when it issued a questionnaire to members asking if they believed that ISO 9606-1 could be revised such that it would be used outside Europe.

Revision to ISO 9606-1• The survey results were released late

November, 2003 and the results were positive. Several approaches were presented by the SC 11 members.

• CEN published EN 287-1 as the European replacement for ISO 9606-1 in April, 2004.

• A version of ISO 9606-1 essentially the same as what was proposed for FDIS was circulated for comments by SC 11. Twenty pages of comments were generated.

Revision to ISO 9606-1

• Several issues that were major points of contention were described in a 14 point ballot where members of SC 11 were asked to provide their opinions about issues. Some issues were:– Using base metal or weld metal as the basis for

qualification– Is butt weld qualification sufficient to qualify welders

for making fillet welds– Should preheating be a condition of qualification– Should qualification testing be repeated periodically.

Revision to ISO 9606-1• Responses to about half of the questions varied all

over the map. Some were resolved. • Basic philosophy was discussed: should ISO 9606

be a basic screening test for welders (US/Canada /Japan) or should a welder who is qualified under ISO 9606 be able to walk into any shop and do a creditable job (German, Norway, Denmark, French, Swiss). We were unable to resolve this issue.

• It was April, 2004 by this time. Meetings continued into 2005.

Revision to ISO 9606-1• In July, 2005, TC 44 installed a new Chairman.

Although a Frenchman like his predecessor, he is from the welding and metal fabrication industry. He does work globally and is personally frustrated by having to qualify welders to multiple standards.

• He has formed a small working group of SC 11 members whose goal is to come up with a working standard for welder qualification. Two major issues have tentatively been resolved at our first meeting. Further meetings are planned.

Other TC 44 Standards

• In 2003, it was agreed that all published TC 44 standards would be revised by ISO committees regardless of where they were developed. This will gradually phase out the Vienna Agreement in the welding arena.

• Cohabited standards developed by IIW on welding filler metals are being published and many are suitable for adoption by the US. The Europeans have EU government-induced reservations about doing the same.

Other TC 44 Standards

• Several mechanical testing standards for welds developed in ISO are suitable for adoption as US standards.

• ISO 15608 which provides a system for grouping of base metals that have similar welding characteristics has been expanded into several new standard that will list materials specifications. ISO TR 20173 will list most US materials and show both ISO group numbers and US “P-number” assignments. There is 95% compatibility in the assignments.

The future of ISO 9606

• The writer is optimistic because the new Chairman is dynamic and forceful and has a personal interest in making ISO 9606 globally relevant.

• None of this would have happened if the US and Canada had not appealed the document proceeding to FDIS resulting in a total redirection of this project – thanks to Steven Cornish for advising us!

Closing Thoughts

• The Vienna Agreement is bad when CEN is lead. They do not have any CD ballots and ISO observers have no vote.

• The Vienna Agreement will probably not go away, although it will phase out -- at least in the welding area. The Europeans may abandon it if they are not happy with a “Globally Relevant” ISO 9606!

Closing Thoughts

• Any two countries have the right to appeal publication of an ISO Standard if it is not “globally relevant.”

• Won’t win us any friends.

• Time-consuming exercise.

• Is a double-handled sword -- It can be used against us.