Final answer:
A welder who fails a production weld must remove the defective material and prepare the joint for rewelding.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a welder fails to meet the standard required for a production weld and thus fails the welder performance qualification, the production weld that does not meet the standard must be repaired. According to most welding codes and standards, such as the American Welding Society (AWS) standards, the repair process generally requires the removal of the defective weld material followed by a preparation of the joint for rewelding. The welder must then perform the weld repair using the same process and parameters that were originally specified, unless the engineering requirements dictate otherwise. The repaired weld is then subjected to the same inspection and testing criteria to assure it meets the necessary quality standards.
Retesting using volumetric nondestructive examination is not allowed, so the repaired weld must meet inspection and testing criteria to ensure quality. The welder performing the repair must be qualified for the task.
No retesting using volumetric nondestructive examination (NDE) means the weld cannot simply be inspected internally (e.g., by x-ray or ultrasound) after repair to pass the qualification; the welder must fully re-weld any sections that did not originally meet the standard. Any welder making the repair must also be appropriately qualified to perform the type of welding needed for the repair. After repair, the weld must again be inspected and meet all the prescribed standards to ensure its integrity and quality.