BS EN ISO 15613:2004

What is this standard about?
It covers procedures for approval testing of metal welds, specifically at qualification based on a pre-production welding test.  Who is this standard for?
It will be used by the fabrication and manufacturing industries, especially those with critical safety requirements, which includes: 

Structural engineering Oil and gas Energy Nuclear Pressure vessels and equipment Chemical plant Shipbuilding  

Why should you use this standard? 
It specifies how a preliminary welding procedure specification is qualified based on pre-production welding tests. Qualification based on a pre-production welding test can be used where the shape and dimensions of the standard test pieces do not adequately represent the joint to be welded.  In such cases, one or more special test pieces can be made to simulate the production joint in all essential features, e.g. dimensions, restraint, heat sink effects, limited access. In the case of resistance welding, actual components have to be used for the pre-production test. This standard applies to arc welding, gas welding, beam welding, resistance welding, stud welding and friction welding of metallic materials.  Also the principles of this standard may be applied to other welding processes.  What’s changed since the last update?
This international standard is a technical update superseding BS EN 288-8:1995 which was withdrawn.