A welding process audit isn't a walk-through — it's a records exam. When a Certified Welding Inspector, a customer quality lead, or an ISO/VDA 6.3 auditor arrives, they pull weld records at random and ask you to trace them: WPS to PQR to WPQ, filler-metal CMTR to lot number, and NDE report to acceptance table. The rule most shops learn the hard way is the two-minute rule — records not retrievable at the workstation or within two minutes of the request are scored as a weak point even when they technically exist. This handbook lays out the audit sections, the KAD-5 documentation stack, the OSHA 1910.252 hot-work overlay, and the non-conformance workflow, then shows how to run all of it as a defensible digital program. Start free on OxMaint to load the audit template, or book a demo to see the two-minute retrieval work.
Pass the Audit at the Workstation, Not in the Binder
KAD-5 documentation · CWI hold points · OSHA 1910.252 · NCR closure trail.
5 docs
KAD-5 stack — WPS, PQR, WPQ, MTR, NDE — required for every code weld
2 min
Retrieval window at the workstation before a record scores as weak point
6 mo
Welder qualification (WPQ) currency window per process used
15 yr
Common customer-specified record retention for safety-critical welds
The KAD-5 Documentation Stack · What Every Code Weld Needs
Every audit against ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1, or ISO 15614-1 pulls the same five documents. Miss any one of them for a production weld and the finding writes itself. The stack below shows each document, the standard it cites, and the single question an auditor asks that most shops fail — the one that turns a "yes, we have it" into a non-conformance.
01 · WPS
Welding Procedure Specification
The "how-to" instruction sheet — process, joint design, base metal, filler, gas, voltage/amperage/travel ranges.
AWS D1.1 Clause 5–6 · ASME Sec IX · ISO 15614-1
Fail trigger: WPS at the booth doesn't match the joint being welded
02 · PQR
Procedure Qualification Record
The test evidence — raw destructive-test results (tensile, bend, Charpy) that back the WPS.
AWS D1.1 Clause 6 · ASME Sec IX QW-200
Fail trigger: WPS parameters exceed essential-variable limits proven on the PQR
03 · WPQ
Welder Performance Qualification
The individual welder's credential — per process, position, joint, and material thickness range.
AWS D1.1 Clause 6 · ISO 9606-1 · ASME QW-300
Fail trigger: WPQ expired (past 6-month window per process used)
04 · MTR
Material Test Report / CMTR
Mill certificate for base metal and filler — heat-number traceable to the physical inventory consumed on the job.
ASTM · AWS A5.x filler classifications
Fail trigger: Filler lot on the job can't be traced back to a specific CMTR
05 · NDE
Non-Destructive Examination Report
Visual, PT, MT, RT, or UT inspection results — with the acceptance-table call recorded per weld ID.
AWS D1.1 Table 8.1 · ASME Sec V · ASNT SNT-TC-1A
Fail trigger: NDE report cites the wrong acceptance table for the contract scope
The Six Audit Sections · What an Auditor Actually Walks
Every welding process audit — supplier, customer, ISO surveillance, VDA 6.3, NADCAP — pulls from the same six sections. Group your internal checklist by these sections and the finding rate on external audits drops sharply because you've rehearsed against the same questions the surveyor will ask.
01 Documentation & Traceability
Every active WPS on file, signed by qualified engineer or welding coordinator
PQR attached to every non-prequalified WPS with raw lab results
Weld map per drawing, unique weld ID assigned to each joint
Traceability chain: drawing → WPS → welder → filler heat/lot → NDE result
02 Personnel Qualification
WPQ current per welder, per process, per position — within the 6-month window
CWI / CAWI / SCWI qualification per AWS D1.1 Clause 8.1.4 verified
Welding coordinator designated per ISO 14731 with documented competency
Visual inspection personnel trained to the written acceptance criteria
03 Equipment & Calibration
Every parameter analyzer, volt/amp meter, flow meter on calibration schedule
Calibration stickers current; certificates retrievable at the workstation
Preheat / interpass temperature gauges verified against a reference standard
Ground clamps, cable insulation, and torch condition inspected weekly
04 Consumables Control
Filler metal storage — sealed low-hydrogen electrodes, rod ovens at spec temp
Shielding gas type and flow rate match WPS at the booth
Lot / heat number recorded on the weld log at issue, not at return
Expired or contaminated consumables quarantined and documented
05 In-Process Monitoring
Current, voltage, wire feed, travel speed logged with accept/reject tolerances
Heat input calculated per weld (V × A × 60 / travel speed) where required
Preheat / interpass / PWHT hold points signed off before next stage
Out-of-tolerance events trigger production hold, not just an alert
06 Post-Weld, NDT & Safety Overlay
Visual inspection to AWS D1.1 Table 8.1 (or equivalent) at every hold point
PT, MT, RT, UT per contract scope — reports filed against the weld ID
Hot-work permits per OSHA 1910.252 — fire watch posted, extinguisher staged
Ventilation / fume-extraction verified for confined-space or coated-metal work
Load the Six Audit Sections as a Mobile Audit Template — Free Forever
Sign up on OxMaint's free forever plan and load the six-section audit as a mobile template — mandatory outcomes, photo capture on WPS/CMTR/WPQ verification, e-signature on completion, and NCR auto-generation on any fail. No card, no time limit.
Prequalified vs PQR-Required · The Decision an Auditor Reverse-Engineers
Whether a WPS is prequalified under AWS D1.1 Clause 5 or requires full PQR testing under Clause 6 is the single most expensive question in structural welding. The decision ladder below is what an auditor uses in reverse — starting from the WPS on the wall and working back to whether every prequalification condition was actually met.
01 · Base metal
On D1.1 prequalified list (Table 5.3)?
If no → PQR required
↓
02 · Welding process
SMAW, SAW, GMAW spray/pulsed, or FCAW only?
GTAW, ESW, EGW, short-circuit GMAW → PQR required
↓
03 · Joint design
Matches a prequalified joint detail in Clause 5?
If no → PQR required
↓
04 · Preheat
At or above the Table 5.8 minimum for material + thickness?
If no → PQR required
↓
05 · Filler metal
Classified to AWS A5.x (note: A5.36 removed from prequalified list in the 2025 edition)
All five yes → Prequalified WPS acceptable. Any no → Full PQR under Clause 6.
The NCR Workflow · Every Non-Conformance Has a Closure Trail
Auditors don't just look at pass records — they look at how failures were handled. A defensible NCR (non-conformance report) trail is what turns a repair from a red flag into evidence that the quality system works. The five-node workflow below is the field-standard closure path; every finding at any audit section flows through it.
01
Detect & Log
Non-conformance identified in visual, NDE, in-process log, or audit walk. NCR opened with weld ID, location, defect type, severity, and photo evidence.
→
02
Containment
Quarantine the part; hold-tag adjacent joints of the same WPS/welder/lot combination; production stop where the CWI's authority applies (D1.1 empowers this).
→
03
Root Cause
Investigation across WPS/welder/consumable/equipment axes — 5-Why or Ishikawa, with the finding logged against the NCR before repair authorization.
→
04
Repair WPS & Execution
Repair WPS selected and cited on the NCR — separate from the production WPS. Weld map annotated with the repair location; welder qualified for the repair process.
→
05
Re-NDE & Closure
Re-inspection per the original NDE scope, effectiveness check verified, NCR signed closed with an owner and date. The full trail retained per contract retention (commonly 15 years for safety-critical).
AUDITOR RULE
The Two-Minute Rule
Under VDA 6.3 and most modern audit frameworks, documentation must be available at the workstation or retrievable within two minutes of the request. Binders three buildings away or records requiring IT access the auditor doesn't have are scored as a weak point even when the record technically exists. A defensible program stores every WPS, PQR, WPQ, CMTR, and NDE against the asset — searchable by weld ID, filler lot, or welder name from a phone at the booth. Sign up free to make every record two-minute-retrievable.
How OxMaint Runs the Full Welding Audit Program
The six-section audit, KAD-5 documentation stack, NCR workflow, and OSHA 1910.252 hot-work permits all live in the same platform — audit templates on the phone, records attached to the weld ID and the asset, corrective actions tracked to closure, and an audit-pack export ready for the next surveillance visit.
Store
KAD-5 Attached to Weld ID
WPS, PQR, WPQ, CMTR, and NDE stored against each weld and each asset — searchable by weld ID, welder, filler lot, or NCR number.
Execute
Six-Section Mobile Audit
Audit template runs on the phone with mandatory outcomes, photo capture on WPS at booth, CMTR at issue, and WPQ verification.
Permit
OSHA 1910.252 Hot-Work Workflow
Digital hot-work permits per OSHA 1910.252 — fire-watch assignment, extinguisher check, ventilation verified, e-signed before work starts.
Escalate
Fail → NCR With Closure Owner
Any audit fail auto-generates an NCR routed through the 5-node workflow with owner, deadline, and effectiveness-check requirement.
Trend
Findings By WPS, Welder, Lot
NCR trends by welder, WPS, consumable lot, and shift — feeds the PFMEA update and identifies the systemic issues before the next audit.
Prove
Two-Minute Retrieval & Audit Pack
Any record retrievable in seconds from the booth. Full audit pack — records, permits, NCRs, closure trails — exports for the surveyor on demand.
Turn Your Weld Records Into an Audit That Passes at the Booth
Free forever plan — no card, no time limit. Load the six audit sections, attach the KAD-5 stack to every weld ID, and any auditor's next request pulls the record inside two minutes. Or book 30 minutes and we'll set the audit template up on your active shop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the KAD-5 documentation stack, and why does every audit reference it?
KAD-5 is shorthand for the five documents every code weld needs to be traceable: the WPS (how-to instruction), the PQR (destructive-test evidence), the WPQ (individual welder's qualification), the MTR/CMTR (base and filler material mill certs), and the NDE report (visual/PT/MT/RT/UT results). Miss any one for a production weld and an auditor writes a non-conformance. Book a demo to see the KAD-5 stack attach automatically to every weld ID.
When does a WPS need full PQR testing versus prequalification under AWS D1.1?
AWS D1.1 Clause 5 lets you skip physical qualification testing if every prequalification condition is met: base metal on the Table 5.3 approved list, process limited to SMAW, SAW, GMAW spray/pulsed, or FCAW, joint design matches a prequalified detail, preheat at or above Table 5.8 minimum, and filler metal classified to AWS A5.x (note A5.36 was removed from the prequalified list in the 2025 edition). Miss any one and full PQR testing under Clause 6 is required.
What does OSHA 1910.252 require during a welding audit?
OSHA 1910.252 governs welding, cutting, and brazing safety — fire prevention, ventilation, PPE, gas cylinder handling, and confined-space provisions. In practice the auditor looks for hot-work permits with fire-watch assignment, staged extinguisher, ventilation and fume-extraction verified (especially for coated metals or confined spaces), cylinder storage compliance, and welder PPE inspection. It sits alongside the quality audit as the safety overlay on every hot-work task.
What is the two-minute retrieval rule, and where does it come from?
Under VDA 6.3 process audits and most modern quality frameworks, documentation must be available at the workstation or retrievable within roughly two minutes of an auditor's request. Records that technically exist but require walking to a binder room or requesting IT access get scored as a weak point regardless of whether they're eventually produced. Digital records searchable by weld ID from a phone at the booth are how modern shops pass the rule. Sign up free to enable it on your first audit.
Can OxMaint manage the full NCR closure workflow?
Yes. OxMaint routes every non-conformance through the five-node closure workflow — detect and log with weld ID and photo evidence, containment tagging on adjacent joints, root-cause investigation (5-Why or Ishikawa), repair WPS citation with weld-map annotation, and re-NDE with effectiveness check and sign-off. The full trail retains per your contract retention period (commonly 15 years for safety-critical welds) and rolls up as trend data by welder, WPS, consumable lot, and shift — feeding the PFMEA update and the next audit's evidence pack.
