Railway Welding Compliance

EN 15085 Requirements

Manufacturing Quality Control

Railway Welding Certification Compliance in Madhya Pradesh: How EN 15085 Helps Manufacturers Meet Railway Industry Requirements

By First Welding Certification Technical Editorial Team

6 Min Read Time

10 Nov 2026

Table of Contents

Railway Manufacturing Preparation

Railway Welding Compliance

Welding Coordination

Inspection & Traceability

Madhya Pradesh Manufacturers

Introduction

Madhya Pradesh has many engineering and manufacturing businesses ranging from steel fabrication, heavy engineering, industrial machinery, metal working and components. There are many industrial towns such as Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Dewas, Pithampur and Mandideep that would offer engineering and manufacturing services. There may be opportunities for companies to manufacture railway components, this could be in the form of welded components such as bogie frames, underframes, equipment supports, brackets, assemblies and more.

However, in order to supply welded components to the rail industry, manufacturers need to show that they have the correct processes in place. This is done by having welders that are experienced and having the right manufacturing equipment but also having the correct welding processes, roles, inspection and production documents.

EN 15085 will help manufacturers understand how to achieve railway welding certification compliance.

Understanding Railway Welding Certification Compliance

Railway welding certification compliance is about showing that the welding processes are under technical control. EN 15085 provides the requirements for welding processes for rail vehicles and components.

Manufacturers need to understand what requirements they need to meet based on the welding processes they carry out and components they want to manufacture. If the company is manufacturing welded equipment supports for rail vehicles then this may differ compared to someone manufacturing a full bogie assembly. The level of certification will depend on the processes they carry out and the classification of components and welding processes.

Before beginning the certification process, companies should look at:

  • Type of rail components being manufactured.
  • Welding processes being carried out.
  • Certification and classification requirements.
  • Welding processes.
  • Customer requirements and drawings.
  • Inspection requirements.

This will help manufacturers understand what welding processes they are carrying out and what controls are required. Companies based in Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur and other industrial towns should understand what processes they currently have in place.

Welding Coordination and Qualified Personnel

Having the correct people in place to manage the welding processes is an important part of railway welding certification compliance. Under EN 15085, manufacturers must show that they have qualified people to manage the welding coordination.

Welding Coordinators are an important part of the welding process.

They may have responsibilities such as:

  • Identifying welding technical requirements.
  • Ensuring the correct welding processes are in place.
  • Checking welder qualifications.
  • Managing welding processes.
  • Checking welding inspection processes.
  • Managing non-conforming welding processes.
  • Ensuring correct technical documentation is in place.

The level of welding coordination will depend on the certification classification and processes they carry out. Manufacturers must also ensure that welders and welding operators are qualified to do the processes they are doing. Depending on the welding processes and materials used, welders must be qualified to the correct standards. This can be EN ISO 9606 and EN ISO 14732.

Manufacturers in Madhya Pradesh should keep up to date records of qualified personnel. If a welder is qualified for one welding process, material group or welding position does not mean they are qualified for all processes.

By having a structured system in place to manage personnel qualifications, manufacturers can be in control of their production workforce.

Welding Processes and Control

Manufacturers need to show that they can provide consistent quality welded components for the railways by having controlled welding processes. Welding Procedure Specifications and Welding Procedure Qualification Records are important documents to have in place to show welding processes are controlled.

A Welding Procedure Specification shows how to carry out the welding process. It will generally contain:

  • Welding process.
  • Parent material and thickness.
  • Joint preparation.
  • Welding consumables.
  • Welding position.
  • Welding parameters.

Preheat and interpass temperatures if applicable. Post weld heat treatment if required. A Welding Procedure Qualification Record shows that the welding process has been qualified.

Based on the weld performance class, EN 15085-4 shows what requirements are needed for the WPS and WPQR. If it is not CP D then the correct welding process qualification must be met. If it is CP D then a welding instruction is required.

Manufacturers should also ensure that the WPS has been reviewed and authorised by the welding coordinator. Once the welding processes have been identified, the manufacturer should ensure that welders are using the correct WPS. They should also ensure the welding parameters are within the correct range. Any changes to the material thickness, joint design, welding process and production should be reviewed technically. This will help to ensure that welding is controlled and the manufacturing quality is consistent.

Inspection, Traceability and Records

Inspections are an important part of showing that components have been manufactured under controlled processes.

Manufacturers should have inspections in place for:

Pre-weld:

  • Material identification and documentation.
  • Joint preparation.
  • WPS documents are valid.
  • Correct welders are qualified.
  • Welding equipment is in a good condition.

During welding:

  • Welding parameters are correct.
  • Correct welding process.
  • Preheat and interpass temperatures if required.
  • Welding sequence and joint preparation.
  • Production notes.

Post weld:

  • Visual inspection.
  • Correct non-destructive testing.
  • Component measurements.
  • Recording inspection results.
  • Dealing with non-conformities.

The correct inspection processes should be used based on the component requirements. Materials should also be traceable. Manufacturers should have records to show what materials have been received and what components have been manufactured.

This could include material certificates, heat numbers, batch numbers, material inspection and production documentation. Companies manufacturing assemblies for the railways in Madhya Pradesh will benefit from having a clear traceability system to show the history of the components and help customers during their inspection.

Getting your Manufacturing Ready for EN 15085 Certification

Manufacturers should take a look at the whole welding production process to ensure they are ready for EN 15085 certification. They should review their manufacturing processes and identify any areas where they may not be meeting requirements.

A practical way to get your manufacturing ready could be:

  • Review welding processes – What welding processes, materials, components and production are you carrying out?
  • Check personnel – Are your welding coordinator qualified? Are welders qualified? Are they doing the correct roles?
  • Review technical documentation – Are your WPS, WPQR, drawings and welding instructions correct for the production?
  • Equipment – Are welding machines, inspection equipment, maintenance and calibration/validation requirements in place?
  • Consumables – Are consumables stored, labelled, handled and controlled correctly?
  • Inspections – What inspections are required? What NDT requirements? Acceptance criteria? What records?
  • Subcontractors – Have you reviewed any subcontracted welding processes and other processes?
  • Internal review – Identify any non-conformities and put correction in place.

Manufacturers should also have a system in place to manage any changes to production drawings, welding processes, materials and customer requirements.

If they change the material grade of a railway component then they should review the WPS and production controls to ensure they still meet requirements. By having a systematic system in place, companies will be able to prepare for their conformity assessment and have consistent welding quality.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is railway welding certification compliance?

Railway welding certification compliance involves meeting applicable welding quality requirements for railway vehicles and components, including welding procedures, personnel qualifications, coordination, inspection and production controls.

EN 15085 provides a framework for controlling welding activities in railway manufacturing. It helps manufacturers demonstrate that their welding processes meet applicable railway industry requirements.

Relevant documents may include WPS, WPQR, welder qualification records, welding coordination records, material certificates, inspection reports, NDT records and production documentation.

Yes. Small manufacturers can pursue certification if their activities fall within the standard’s scope and they meet the applicable requirements for their certification classification and manufacturing responsibilities.

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Conclusion

Railway welding certification compliance is an important aspect to consider when looking to get involved with supplying components for the railways. Companies based in Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Dewas, Pithampur, Mandideep and other industrial towns in Madhya Pradesh will need to ensure they have the correct welding coordination, qualified personnel, controlled welding processes and inspection processes in place to meet EN 15085.

EN 15085 will help manufacturers manage their welding processes to show they are under control. Manufacturers should look at getting the welding quality processes in place rather than just focusing on the documents.

If your company is looking to manufacture welded components for the railways?

Connect with First Welding Certification Pvt Ltd (PRVÁ ZVÁRAČSKÁ, a.s.) to discuss ISO 15085 railway welding quality requirements and certification for your manufacturing processes.

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