The most significant recent development in laser welding compliance: handheld laser welding is now explicitly accepted under ASME BPVC Section IX (2023 & 2025 Edition). This is a production-ready compliance pathway, available now in Australia.
Handheld laser welding is explicitly accepted for boilers, pressure vessels and process piping under ASME BPVC Section IX. The 2023 edition added QW-358 specifically for handheld laser welding — with IPG LightWELD technology referenced in the qualification provisions. Used across oil & gas, processing, and resources sectors in Australia. This is not theoretical — it is a live, usable compliance pathway.
| Standard | Used in Australia? | Handheld Status |
|---|---|---|
| ASME BPVC Section IX (2023 & 2025) | Yes — PV & Piping | ✅ EXPLICITLY ACCEPTED — QW-358 added for handheld. IPG LightWELD specifically recognised. |
| ISO 15614-11:2025 | Yes — ISO adoption | ✅ IMPLICITLY ACCEPTED — technology agnostic; no handheld exclusion. Qualify WPS/WPQR and it applies. |
| AS/NZS ISO 3834 | Yes — quality system | ✅ IMPLICITLY ACCEPTED — covers all fusion welding; no delivery method restriction. |
| AS/NZS 1554 (Structural Steel) | Yes — structural | ✅ IMPLICITLY ACCEPTED — no exclusion; accepted via qualified WPS procedure. |
| AS/NZS 1665 (Structural Aluminium) | Yes — structural | ✅ IMPLICITLY ACCEPTED — no exclusion; accepted via qualified WPS procedure. |
| AWS D17.1 (Aerospace) | Some sectors | ⚠️ IN PROGRESS — task group drafting handheld provisions within D17.1:2024. |
| AWS D1.1 (Structural Steel) | Some sectors | ⚠️ NOT YET EXPLICIT — no prequalified laser pathway; engineer-of-record acceptance required via WPS/PQR. |
Develop a Welding Procedure Specification for the specific laser welding application — material, thickness, joint type, parameters.
Qualify the WPS via a Welding Procedure Qualification Record. Destructive and non-destructive testing. Applies to both handheld and automated laser systems.
Certify quality management system to ISO 3834-2 or 3834-3 depending on application criticality. Required for AS 4100:2020 higher construction categories.
Qualify welding operators against the approved WPS. Handheld laser welding uses process number i52 under AS/NZS 9606-1.
For pressure vessel and boiler work: qualify under ASME BPVC Section IX QW-358 which explicitly covers handheld laser welding. Shear and tensile strength tests required.
For pressure vessel and boiler work in Australia: AS 3992 refers users to ASME Section IX for laser welding qualification. ILS can support documentation strategy.
Cameron Jamieson — Technical Director, Industrial Laser Solutions. Acknowledged contributor to Weld Australia Technical Guidance Note TGN-SW02 (2024). Contact for standards and compliance guidance.
0407 316 201 →International & Australian standards governing laser welding — including handheld laser welding acceptance status across ASME BPVC, ISO 15614-11, AS/NZS 1554, AS/NZS 1665, and AWS standards.
No registration required · Standards current as at May 2026
LightWELD includes comprehensive built-in safety features. We also help you understand your regulatory obligations — which vary by state and territory.
Every LightWELD is a Class IV laser with multiple engineered safety controls as standard:
Per Weld Australia TGN-SW02 and AS/NZS IEC 60825.14, operators must wear:
Source: ILS Regulatory Brief, March 2026. Not legal advice.
| State | Key Requirements |
|---|---|
| VIC (OHS) | General OHS duties & plant compliance. No laser-specific licence. |
| NSW (WHS) | General WHS duties. Clause 223 restricts Class 3B/4 in construction. |
| QLD (WHS) | General WHS duties. Industrial laser rules limited to medical lasers. |
| SA (WHS) | General WHS duties apply. |
| WA (WHS + Radiation) | Most prescriptive. Licensing, Class 3B/4 registration, prescribed controls required under Radiation Safety Act 1975. |
| TAS (WHS + Radiation) | Radiation Protection Act 2005 applies. Licence and premises registration required. |
| ACT / NT (WHS) | General WHS duties. No industrial laser-specific licensing. |
| New Zealand | HSWA 2015 applies. General risk management duties. No standalone laser operator licence. |
⚠ Class 3B and 4 lasers are generally prohibited in construction work under WHS Regulation clause 223 across all harmonised Australian jurisdictions.
Cameron Jamieson of Industrial Laser Solutions is formally acknowledged in Weld Australia's 2024 Technical Guidance Note on Laser Safety (TGN-SW02) — the authoritative national reference for laser safety in welding and cleaning operations in Australia.
Key standards: AS/NZS IEC 60825.1 (equipment classification) and AS/NZS IEC 60825.14 (user guidance and control measures).
weldaustralia.com.au →Australia and New Zealand's specialist supplier of IPG LightWELD handheld laser welding and cleaning systems. Our team is ready to help you find the right solution and support you every step of the way.
Factory 8/17-23 Keppel Drive
Hallam VIC 3803, Australia
www.lightweld.com.au
www.industriallaser.com.au
We supply & support customers across New Zealand. Contact us for NZ pricing, freight, and compliance guidance.
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Sunday & Public Holidays: Closed
We respond to all enquiries within 1 business day. Australia & New Zealand welcome.