This Standard defines the qualification test of welders for the welding of steels to the requirements of a welding procedure specification. It provides a set of technical rules for a systematic qualification test of the welder, and enables such qualifications to be uniformly accepted independently of the type of product, location and examiner/examining body.When qualifying manual welders, the emphasis is placed on the welder’s ability to manually manipulate the electrode/welding torch and thereby to produce a weld of acceptable quality.The principle of this Standard is that a qualification test that qualifies the welder not only for the conditions used in the test, but also for all joints that are considered to weld easily, on the presumption that the welder has received particular training and/or has industrial practice within the range of qualification.This Standard is intended to complement existing Standards such as AS 1796 and AS/NZS 3992 whilst enhancing the requirements for the qualification of welders from the previous edition of AS 2980 in accordance with international expectations. It does not deal with the certification of welders.NOTES:1 Certification of welders is covered by AS 1796.2 Qualification of welders for pressure applications is addressed by AS/NZS 3992.3 Appendix E provides a comparison between this Standard and ISO 9606-1.

First published 1987.Second edition 2004.Revised and redesignated AS/NZS 2980:2007. Originated as AS 2980-1987. Second edition 2004. Revised and redesignated AS/NZS 2980:2007.