Hardbanding QA Checklist: Before the Pipe Leaves

Hardbanding quality is decided twice: once at the welding machine and once at the inspection bench. This checklist covers both points so a supervisor can sign off a joint before the pipe leaves the shop with confidence that the alloy, the parameters, the preheat, and the final deposit all match the procedure. Print it, laminate it, and require a completed copy for every joint in the pipe file.

The checklist is split into five gates: alloy verification, machine and parameter setup, preheat and thermal control, post-weld visual inspection, and documentation. A joint that fails any gate does not ship. For background on why each control exists, see the procedure-level detail in our hardbanding welding procedure guide.

What should be verified before the hardbanding machine is switched on?#

Alloy verification is the first quality gate in hardbanding QA, and it must be completed before the machine is switched on. Alloy mix-ups are the most expensive failure mode in hardbanding because they are invisible until the pipe goes downhole. A casing run damaged by an abrasive alloy where a casing-friendly one was specified, or a non-magnetic joint hardfaced with a magnetic deposit, both trace back to this gate. Verify the consumable before anything else.

Checklist items#

• Alloy type on the spool or rod container matches the customer specification and the purchase order line item exactly (trade name plus product designation, not “similar to”).
• Certificate of conformance or mill cert is on file and matches the lot number physically stamped or labeled on the package.
• Lot number recorded on the traveler or work order before the package is opened.
• Wire diameter matches the qualified WPS range (a procedure qualified on 0.045 inch wire does not automatically cover 1/16 inch).
• For non-magnetic drill collars or HWDP, alloy confirmed as non-magnetic or the customer has signed a written deviation. See non-magnetic hardbanding for directional drilling.
• Casing-friendly requirement confirmed in writing if the well plan calls for rotating in casing. Compare against casing-friendly vs abrasive hardband alloys if the spec is ambiguous.
• Consumable storage condition acceptable: sealed, dry, no surface rust on bare wire, no damaged liners.

Alloy family quick reference#

If the joint is being rebuilt rather than coated fresh, stop and work through the additional checks in re-applying hardband over existing deposits before proceeding.

How should hardbanding machine setup and parameters be recorded?#

Machine setup and parameter records are the second quality gate in hardbanding QA. Parameters are only useful as a QA tool if they are recorded, not just set. The person at the machine should be able to answer, at any moment, what amperage, voltage, wire speed, and travel speed the current joint is receiving, and how those numbers compare to the last joint.

Checklist items#

• WPS on the floor and current, with revision number noted on the traveler.
• Machine calibration current (amps and volts meter verified within the last calibration interval; note date and tag number).
• Torch or head condition: contact tip or nozzle correct size, no spatter buildup, liner clean.
• Rotation or travel speed set and verified against the WPS (clock the actual travel speed with a stopwatch on the first joint, do not trust the dial).
• Shielding gas or flux system per WPS, with flow rate verified at the torch, not just at the regulator.
• Bead placement fixture set to the specified standoff from the tool joint face.
• First-article joint: record actual amps, volts, wire feed speed, and travel speed, and have the supervisor witness the first bead.

Parameter log template (one row per joint)#

A drift of more than roughly 10 percent from the WPS values on any parameter is a stop-work condition. Log the deviation, correct it, and re-run the first-article check.

How is preheat and thermal control checked during hardbanding?#

Preheat and thermal control form the third quality gate in hardbanding QA. Preheat is the single most common root cause behind hardbanding defects, and the most commonly faked record in the industry. Do not accept a preheat log that shows identical rounded numbers for every joint. Measure at the weld start point, on the actual joint, with a working instrument.

Checklist items#

• Preheat temperature per WPS, measured with a calibrated contact pyrometer or thermal crayon at the bead start location (not the furnace exit, not the OD away from the weld zone).
• Minimum preheat maintained through the full circumference: measure at four quadrants minimum on large joints.
• Interpass temperature monitored and logged at least once per pass on multi-pass deposits.
• Time between preheat completion and weld start recorded if the joint is handled or transported between stations (a joint that sat 20 minutes may be below minimum).
• Cool-down method per procedure: still air, or controlled, with no water quenching or fan-forced cooling unless the WPS allows it.
• Ambient conditions noted: joints below roughly 40 degrees Fahrenheit shop temperature or wet surfaces require extra preheat margin and drying time.

Preheat log template#

For the reasoning behind preheat minimums and cooling rates, see Hardbanding Welding Procedure: Preheat to Cool-Down and the mechanism discussion in how hardband alloys resist abrasion downhole, which explains why deposit chemistry is sensitive to dilution and cooling rate.

What does post-weld visual inspection of a hardband cover?#

Post-weld visual inspection is the fourth quality gate in hardbanding QA, and every joint gets a visual inspection before it leaves the station. The inspection points below assume a standard tool joint hardband; acceptance thresholds should come from the customer spec or the applicable industry inspection standard, and our detailed hardbanding inspection and acceptance criteria article covers the borderline cases.

Checklist items#

• Bead placement: correct standoff from the tool joint face, no bead over the face itself, no bead encroaching on the thread area.
• Bead width and height within spec: measure with a bridge cam gauge or profile gauge on at least four points around the circumference.
• Overlap between passes: no uncovered base material valleys between beads, no excessive overlap creating sharp ridges.
• Undercut: none at bead edges visible without magnification, or within the acceptance limit in the spec.
• Cracking: check whether the alloy is designed to crack. Crack-intentional tungsten carbide alloys will show fine transverse check cracks, which is normal. Crack-free alloys showing any cracking are rejectable. If the spec is unclear, refer to crack-free hardband alloys: what actually works.
• Porosity: no visible surface porosity or gas holes above the acceptance limit.
• Spatter: no adhering spatter balls or globules that could contact casing or the wellbore wall.
• Edges and transitions: smooth blend at bead ends, no sharp protrusions, no start-stop lumps above height spec.
• Casing-friendly geometry: run a bare hand test with gloves off and a casing-surface mindset: nothing that could gouge.
• Color and surface condition consistent around the circumference (a color change often signals a parameter drift mid-bead).

Inspection disposition rules#

Numbered disposition for the supervisor:

1. Any dimension out of spec: tag and hold, do not grind without an approved repair procedure.
2. Cracking on a crack-free alloy: reject, do not weld over it without engineering disposition.
3. Excess height: rework only by qualified personnel using the approved rework procedure, then full re-inspection.
4. Anything ground or repaired: full visual re-inspection plus a note in the pipe file describing the repair.

What documentation belongs in the hardbanding pipe file?#

Documentation is the fifth quality gate in hardbanding QA. The pipe file is the only thing that survives the shop. Five years later, when a joint comes back with a wear claim or a casing damage dispute, the file is what settles it. Every item below should be present before the joint is racked for shipping.

Checklist items#

• Joint serial number recorded on every log page (parameter log, preheat log, inspection sheet).
• Alloy trade name, product designation, and lot or heat number recorded.
• WPS number and revision used.
• Operator name or ID for the weld, and inspector name or ID for the visual inspection.
• Date and shift.
• Preheat and interpass readings attached, with instrument identification.
• Disposition recorded: accept, rework (with description), or reject.
• Customer spec or PO reference so the file ties to the contract requirement.
• Any deviation or engineering disposition signed by a named authority, not “per supervisor” initials alone.

Minimum retention set#

How should this hardbanding checklist be used on the shop floor?#

This hardbanding QA checklist should be used on the floor with one printed copy per joint, or per batch if you run identical joints from the same heat in one continuous setup. Assign the gates to roles: the welder owns Gates 1 through 3 sign-off, the inspector owns Gate 4, and the supervisor owns Gate 5 and the final release. Nobody signs a box they did not personally verify.

Two habits make this checklist worth the paper it is printed on. First, record actual measured values, never the target values copied from the WPS. A preheat log full of “500” in every row tells an auditor nothing and tells a lawyer everything. Second, when something fails a gate, write the failure down and the disposition beside it. A documented reject is quality control; an undocumented reject that ships is a liability.

If your operation is deciding where the work happens, the control points in this checklist differ between site types, and the trade-offs are covered in portable vs shop hardbanding machines. Shops running routine rebuilds should also review why drill pipe tool joints wear out so the wear pattern on incoming joints informs the alloy and geometry choices recorded at Gate 1.

Key Takeaways#

• Verify alloy identity, lot number, and certificate before the package is opened; alloy mix-ups are the most expensive failure to discover downhole.
• Record actual measured parameters and preheat readings, never copied target values, and treat a 10 percent drift from the WPS as a stop-work condition.
• Measure preheat at the weld start point on the joint itself, at four quadrants minimum, with a calibrated instrument.
• Know whether your alloy is supposed to check crack: crack-intentional carbide alloys showing fine cracks are normal, crack-free alloys showing any crack are rejects.
• No joint ships without a complete file: serial number, alloy lot, parameters, preheat, inspector, disposition, and any repair notes, retained for the life of the joint.
• Assign each gate to a named role and require signatures only from the person who personally performed the verification.