Overview
ISO 15614-4:2005 - Specification and qualification of welding procedures for metallic materials - Part 4: Finishing welding of aluminium castings - specifies how a welding procedure specification (WPS) for finishing welding on aluminium castings is qualified by welding procedure tests. It is focused on production finishing (removal of casting defects, core openings) and does not apply to repair welding. The standard is part of the ISO 15614 series and complements general WPS rules in ISO 15609-1.
Key topics
- Scope and applicability
- Qualification method for finishing welding of aluminium castings (production welding only).
- Covers arc processes defined in ISO 4063: MIG (131), TIG (141) and plasma arc (15); other processes by agreement.
- Typical shielding gases: argon, helium, argon‑helium mixtures (ISO 14175).
- Preliminary WPS (pWPS)
- pWPS must be prepared in accordance with ISO 15609-1 and represents the production conditions to be qualified.
- Test pieces and welding trials
- Test pieces simulate common casting features (slots, holes, grooves); may be combined or separate; machining permitted.
- Trials include required stop-and-restart demonstrations to reflect production practice.
- Examination and testing
- Non‑destructive testing: visual (ISO 17637), penetrant (EN 571‑1), radiographic (ISO 17636).
- Destructive testing: fracture testing (ISO 9017) with recommended notching to ensure weld fracture location; micro‑examination (ISO 17639).
- Acceptance of imperfections: ISO 10042 Level C (Level B for pressure components); other levels per design or application standard.
- Range of qualification
- Qualification applies within defined limits for manufacturer, parent material grouping (ISO/TR 15608), material thickness ranges, and process parameters. Changes outside these ranges require a new procedure test.
- Documentation
- Welding Procedure Qualification Record (WPQR) records test results and any rejects; an example WPQR form is provided in the annex.
Applications
- Used by welding engineers, fabricators, foundries, quality managers and conformity assessment bodies who need to:
- Qualify a WPS for finishing welds on aluminium castings in production.
- Demonstrate compliance for castings with slots, holes, ribs and groove features.
- Ensure consistent quality for components where casting finish welds are critical (including pressure components requiring higher acceptance criteria).
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 15614-4:2005, finishing welding of aluminium castings, welding procedure test, WPQR, pWPS, MIG welding, TIG welding, plasma arc welding, non‑destructive testing.