EN 15085-4 Production Requirements: Railway Welding Manufacturing & Quality Control Guide

1 Welding Planning Documents
Before any welding starts, manufacturers need proper planning documents to control the welding process.

Depending on how much they are producing, these documents may include:

• Working plans
• Welding sequence plans
• Welding procedure specifications (WPS)
• Test plans
• Repair plans
• Inspection and test plans

Tooling and jig documentation
The welding coordinator is responsible for preparing and managing these documents.

For railway production, the manufacturing process must be well-documented for all important parts like bogies, underframes, car-body components, and other safety-related parts.

2 Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS)
A controlled Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) is important in railway welding.

For welds that are not in the CP D class, EN 15085-4:2023 requires a WPS that is supported by a proper welding procedure qualification.

Depending on the welding method, these qualifications can follow standards from the EN ISO 15614 series and other relevant welding standards.

Manufacturers must make sure that:

– WPS documents are available when needed
– The parameters in the WPS are followed
– The procedure qualifications are still valid
– The WPS documents are properly controlled
– The welding coordinator approves the procedures
– Welder and Welding Operator Qualification

3 Railway welding depends on skilled and qualified workers.

EN 15085-4 refers to qualification paths for welders and operators, including standards like EN ISO 9606, EN ISO 14732, and others.

Manufacturers should keep track of:

– Valid welder qualifications
– Welding operator qualifications
– Qualification records
– Scope and validity information
– Training records, if needed

A list of qualified welders and operators should be controlled and available.

4 Welding Sequence & Production Control
Planning is especially important for complex railway structures.

Welding sequence plans can help manage:

– Weld shrinkage
– Distortion
– Residual stresses
– Welding order
– Accessibility
– Missing welds

For example, sequence planning is important for parts like bogie frames and underframes.

A controlled production process helps make sure the manufacturing follows the approved technical and welding documents.

5 Production Weld Tests
EN 15085-4:2023 includes guidelines for extra production weld tests.

These tests can be used to show:

– If the design is suitable
– If the welding conditions are right
– If the welder is skilled
– If the welded joint is good
– If a specific welding process is suitable 

The welding coordinator decides when these tests are needed based on the production and requirements.

The results of these tests should be properly recorded and reviewed.

6 Weld Preparation & Execution
Proper preparation before welding is important for good weld quality.

Manufacturers should control factors like:

– How the joint is prepared
– How well the parts fit together
– Welding parameters
– Preheating
– Interpass temperature
– Cleaning
– Tack welding
– Welding order
– Welding materials
– Welding equipment 

Changes to important welding features should not be done carelessly during production.

EN 15085-4:2023 specifically limits changes such as weld type, weld class, inspection class, base material, weld throat thickness, weld location, and other big design changes.

7 Welding Consumables
Choosing, confirming, storing, and handling welding materials is important.

Manufacturers should have procedures for:

– Selecting welding materials
– Identifying them
– Tracing batches or lots where needed
– Storing them properly
– Handling them
– Keeping them in good condition
– Protecting them from contamination or moisture
– Checking if they meet the required standards

EN 15085-4:2023 has specific rules on how to choose, use, store, and handle these consumables.

8 Parent Material Control
Railway welding also needs to manage the base materials used.

Depending on the application, manufacturers may use:

– Carbon and fine-grained structural steels
– Stainless steels
– Aluminum alloys
– Cast irons
– Dissimilar metals 

Material selection and quality must follow the required standards.

Tracking materials is very important for parts that affect safety.

9 Welding Equipment & Process Control
Manufacturers must ensure the welding equipment is suitable and well-maintained.

Production controls may include:

– Identifying the equipment
– Checking its condition
– Calibration or verification if needed
– Controlling welding parameters
– Regular maintenance
– Keeping equipment records 

Welding personnel should also know how to check the equipment’s condition and status before using it.

10 Weld Quality & Non-Conformity Control
Production doesn’t end when welding is finished.

Manufacturers need proper steps to find and handle welding problems.

Depending on the product and standards, this may involve:

– Looking at the weld visually
– Checking dimensions
– Non-destructive testing (NDT)
– Destructive testing if needed
– Repair steps
– Records of non-conformities
– Actions to fix issues 

The inspection and documentation process is linked to EN 15085-5, which deals with inspections, testing, and documentation.