ISO 9606-1:2012 specifies the requirements for qualification testing of welders for fusion welding of steels.

It provides a set of technical rules for a systematic qualification test of the welder, and enables such qualifications to be uniformly accepted independently of the type of product, location and examiner or examining body.

When qualifying welders, the emphasis is placed on the welder's ability manually to manipulate the electrode, welding torch or welding blowpipe, thereby producing a weld of acceptable quality.

The welding processes referred to in ISO 9606-1:2012 include those fusion-welding processes which are designated as manual or partly mechanized welding. It does not cover fully mechanized and automated welding processes.