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AWS D1.3 SHEET METAL

AWS D1.3 Sheet Metal Structural Welder Qualification Testing

Mail-in AWS D1.3 sheet metal welder qualification for light gauge steel fabricators, metal building erectors, and structural sheet metal contractors. Ship your test coupon to Atlanta. We handle CWI inspection, accredited testing, and official WPQ documentation.

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D1.3
AWS Standard
Sheet steel structural
3/16"
Max Thickness
Light gauge coverage
All
Positions
Including overhead
AWS
CWI Inspected
Every coupon
✓  AWS D1.3 Structural Welding Code ✓  Metal Building Systems ✓  Cold-Formed Steel Framing ✓  Arc Spot Welds / Puddle Welds ✓  Nationwide Mail-In Service
Welder performing structural weld on light gauge sheet metal in fabrication shop with overhead crane visible
AWS D1.3 governs structural welding of sheet steel — light gauge material 3/16 inch and under used in metal building systems, decking, and cold-formed framing.
TL;DR — AWS D1.3 Sheet Metal Welder Qualification: AWS D1.3/D1.3M:2018 is the current structural welding code for sheet steel — base metal 3/16 inch and under, plus hollow structural sections (HSS) with wall thickness under 1/8 inch. D1.1 covers thicker material and explicitly does not cover arc spot welds, arc seam welds, or arc plug welds — those are D1.3-specific. D1.3 allows mail-in qualification: weld the coupon at your facility under an approved WPS, ship it to WeldCertTest, and we handle CWI inspection, mechanical testing, and official WPQ issuance. Used in metal building systems, deck attachment, cold-formed framing, light HSS work, and storage rack fabrication.

What Is AWS D1.3 and Who Needs This Qualification?

AWS D1.3, Structural Welding Code — Sheet Steel, covers the welding of sheet steel structural members with a base metal thickness of 3/16 inch or less at the point of welding, plus hollow structural sections (HSS) with wall thickness less than 1/8 inch. It is a separate and distinct code from AWS D1.1, which covers thicker structural steel. The thickness dividing line is 3/16 inch — above that, D1.1 governs.

Any welder performing production welds on light gauge structural applications must hold a D1.3 qualification when the project specification requires it. This includes:

  • Metal building erectors welding light gauge framing connections and secondary members
  • Structural decking installers making arc spot (puddle) welds to attach roof and floor deck to structural framing
  • Cold-formed steel framing contractors welding light gauge stud and track connections
  • HVAC and mechanical contractors welding light gauge structural supports and hangers
  • Light HSS tubular truss and rack frame fabricators (wall thickness under 1/8 inch)
  • Storage rack and material handling equipment manufacturers
  • Solar panel structural support fabricators
  • General fabricators working with sheet steel structural components under D1.3 specifications
  • Maintenance and repair welders on existing light gauge structural assemblies
The 3/16" Rule: AWS D1.3 covers base metal at the weld joint of 3/16 inch (4.8mm) or less. This includes galvanized sheet steel, cold-rolled sheet, and hot-rolled sheet in structural applications. When your material is thicker than 3/16 inch, AWS D1.1 governs the welding. Some projects have both — check the spec before assuming which qualification applies.

AWS D1.3 vs. AWS D1.1 — The Key Differences

FactorAWS D1.3 (Sheet Steel)AWS D1.1 (Structural Steel)
Base Metal Thickness3/16 inch and underTypically 1/8 inch and over
Primary ConcernBurn-through, distortion, fitmentStrength, fusion, cracking
Arc Spot WeldsCovered — separate qualificationNot applicable
Galvanized SteelCovered with specific requirementsLimited coverage
Primary ProcessGMAW short-circuit, FCAW, SMAWSMAW, GMAW, FCAW, GTAW
Heat InputCritical — thin material burns throughImportant for distortion and HAZ control
Cross-QualificationDoes not satisfy D1.1Does not satisfy D1.3
Governing BodyAmerican Welding SocietyAmerican Welding Society

Arc Spot, Arc Seam, and Arc Plug Welds — Why They Need Separate Qualification

An arc spot weld — also called a puddle weld or through-deck weld — is made by burning through the top sheet of metal and fusing into the supporting structural member below. No joint preparation is required. The welder places the electrode or wire gun directly on the surface of the top sheet, strikes an arc, burns through, and creates a fused connection between the sheet and the structure beneath.

This is the dominant method for attaching metal roof and floor decking to structural steel framing. Millions of arc spot welds are made every year on commercial and industrial building construction. AWS D1.3:2018 also covers arc seam welds (an elongated version of the arc spot, used for composite floor decking and shear connection along a continuous line) and arc plug welds (made through a pre-punched hole rather than burning through). All three are sheet-steel-specific joint types that AWS D1.1 does not address.

D1.3 defines minimum arc spot weld diameters, visual acceptance criteria, and the qualification tests required to demonstrate proficiency for each weld type.

Arc Spot ≠ Fillet or Groove: A welder qualified for groove or fillet welds under D1.3 is not automatically qualified for arc spot, arc seam, or arc plug welds — and vice versa. Each weld category is a separate qualification. If your decking crews are making puddle welds, they need specific arc spot weld qualification under D1.3. Call us to discuss the right test for your crew's work.

Welding Galvanized Sheet Steel Under D1.3

Much of the light gauge sheet steel used in metal building and cold-formed framing applications is galvanized — coated with zinc for corrosion protection. Welding galvanized steel requires specific precautions:

  • Zinc fumes are toxic — adequate ventilation is mandatory. OSHA zinc fume standards apply
  • The zinc coating burns off in the weld zone, leaving a bare steel surface that must be protected against corrosion after welding
  • Zinc contamination in the weld pool causes porosity — welding speed and technique must be adjusted to allow zinc to volatilize ahead of the puddle
  • AWS D1.3 has specific requirements for galvanized base metal that differ from bare steel — the WPS must address the coating
  • Test coupons for galvanized D1.3 qualification must use galvanized material to match production conditions

Common Processes for AWS D1.3 Sheet Metal Work

GMAW — Short-Circuit

The dominant process for sheet metal structural welding. Short-circuit transfer with ER70S-6 wire provides excellent control on thin material. Low heat input, fast travel speed. Used for both groove/fillet welds and arc spot welds on decking.

FCAW — Self-Shielded

E71T-11 self-shielded flux-core is popular for arc spot welds on decking — no shielding gas needed, works outdoors, fast. Also used for fillet welds on light gauge structural connections. Must be qualified separately from GMAW.

SMAW — Stick

Small diameter electrodes (3/32" or 1/8" E6011, E6013) used for field repairs and connections where wire processes are impractical. Burn-through risk is higher on thin material — experienced technique required. Less common than GMAW for production sheet metal work.

GTAW — TIG

Used in precision sheet metal fabrication where weld appearance and distortion control are paramount. Very precise heat input but slow. More common in architectural stainless sheet applications (see D1.6) than in structural sheet steel work.

Position Coverage — AWS D1.3

Test PositionCodeWeld TypePositions Covered
Flat1G / 1FGroove / FilletFlat only
Horizontal2G / 2FGroove / FilletFlat + Horizontal
Vertical3G / 3FGroove / FilletFlat + Horiz + Vertical
Overhead4G / 4FGroove / FilletFlat + Horiz + Overhead
3G + 4G / 3F + 4FCombinedGroove + FilletAll positions — groove and fillet
Arc Spot — Flat1ASArc SpotFlat arc spot welds only
Arc Spot — Overhead4ASArc SpotAll arc spot positions

AWS D1.3:2018 — Current Edition Status

Current Edition: AWS D1.3/D1.3M:2018 is the current edition of the Structural Welding Code — Sheet Steel. D1.3 has been revised on a roughly decadal cycle since its first publication. Specifications calling out "AWS D1.3" without an edition date default to the latest edition — currently 2018.

Edition history for project teams tracking which revision their spec was written under:

  • 1978 — First edition, originally titled Specification for Welding Sheet Steel in Structures
  • 1981 — Retitled Structural Welding Code — Sheet Steel to conform to AWS D1 Committee uniform titling
  • 1989, 1998, 2008 — Successive revisions reflecting expanded research and field experience
  • 2018 — Current edition. Major scope addition: hollow structural sections (HSS) with wall thickness under 1/8 inch are now included
D1.1:2025 Cross-Reference Note: AWS D1.3 references AWS D1.1 for steels, electrodes, and several other provisions where the two codes parallel each other (low-hydrogen control of dissimilar-thickness joints, base steel approval, etc.). The AWS D1.1:2025 clause renumbering flows through to D1.3 practice in those cross-reference areas. Older D1.3 WPSs and project specs that quote D1.1 clause numbers should be reviewed for currency.

D1.3 Covers Light HSS — A Spec Detail Many Fabricators Miss

The 2018 edition of D1.3 explicitly extended scope to include hollow structural sections (HSS) with wall thickness less than 1/8 inch (3mm). This is a significant content point that drops many fabricators off the wrong side of the code line:

  • Light HSS truss members, lightweight tubular framing, ornamental structural tubing — if the wall thickness is under 1/8 inch, the welding falls under D1.3, not D1.1
  • Storage rack frame tubing, material handling racks, conveyor support tubing are often thin-wall and fall under D1.3
  • HSS with wall thickness at or over 1/8 inch remains under AWS D1.1
  • Design requirements for HSS member connections are not in D1.3 scope — D1.3 only governs the welding
Check Wall Thickness Before Choosing Qualification: Fabricators who weld a mix of light and heavy HSS often need both D1.1 and D1.3 qualifications on the same welder. The 1/8 inch line is the test. We can qualify your welders under both codes from the same shop.

AWS D1.3 vs. Other AWS Codes — Which Code Applies for Thin Steel?

Several AWS structural codes overlap in the thin-material range. Picking the wrong qualification means rework or rejection at inspection. Here is the applicability map for sheet and light tubular steel welding:

Which AWS Code Applies for Thin Steel Welding?
Application Welding Code That Applies Qualification
Carbon steel sheet, base metal ≤ 3/16 in (structural) AWS D1.3 D1.3 WPQ
Carbon steel HSS, wall thickness < 1/8 in AWS D1.3 D1.3 WPQ
Roof and floor deck arc spot / arc seam welds AWS D1.3 D1.3 arc spot WPQ
Cold-formed steel framing (studs, tracks, joists) AWS D1.3 D1.3 WPQ
Carbon steel structural, > 3/16 in or HSS wall ≥ 1/8 in AWS D1.1 D1.1 WPQ
Stainless steel sheet, ≥ 1/16 in (structural) AWS D1.6 D1.6 WPQ
Aluminum sheet structural AWS D1.2 D1.2 WPQ
Reinforcing steel (rebar) welding AWS D1.4 D1.4 WPQ
Sheet metal ductwork & non-structural HVAC AWS D9.1 (sheet metal welding code) D9.1 qualification
Reinforcing steel structural repair AWS D1.7 D1.7 WPQ
The 3/16" / 1/8" Test: Measure the actual base metal at the weld joint. Sheet steel structural ≤ 3/16 inch → D1.3. HSS wall < 1/8 inch → D1.3. Above either threshold → D1.1. Stainless of any structural thickness → D1.6. Field rejections happen most often when shops weld light HSS or thin structural plate under a D1.1 qualification when D1.3 was the correct code.

Real-World D1.3 Production Welding Scenarios

D1.3 applies to a wide range of light gauge and thin-tubular structural fabrication. These are the most common production contexts where the WPQ is verified by GCs, owners, and inspectors:

Metal Building Secondaries

Purlins, girts, eave struts, and bracing attached to primary structural frames in pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) construction. Light gauge cold-formed sections welded to heavier primary members. D1.3 governs the sheet-to-thick connection, even when the primary frame is D1.1.

Roof & Floor Deck Arc Spot

Steel roof deck and composite floor deck attached to structural framing with arc spot (puddle) welds. The dominant production scenario for D1.3 arc spot qualification. Overhead arc spot work is constant in commercial construction — 4AS qualification is the practical baseline.

Composite Floor Arc Seam

Continuous arc seam welds along the flute of composite floor decking for shear transfer in concrete-on-metal-deck floor systems. Common in multi-story commercial and institutional construction. Separately qualified from arc spot.

Cold-Formed Steel Framing

Light gauge stud and track welded connections in CFS framing for commercial, multi-family, and mid-rise wood-alternative construction. Code-required where engineering specifies welded rather than screwed connections. GMAW short-circuit is the production process.

Light HSS Truss & Frame

Lightweight tubular truss members, ornamental tubular structural, and rack-frame tubing under 1/8 inch wall. The 2018 D1.3 scope expansion explicitly captured this work that previously fell into a gray area between D1.1 and D1.3.

Storage Rack & Solar Supports

Storage rack frame welding (warehouse pallet racks, material handling systems) and solar panel structural support fabrication — typically light gauge cold-formed or thin-wall HSS. Increasingly specified D1.3 work as logistics and renewable construction scale up.

AWS D1.3 Sheet Metal Welder Qualification — FAQ

What is AWS D1.3 and who needs welder qualification under this standard?
AWS D1.3, Structural Welding Code — Sheet Steel, governs the welding of sheet steel structural members with a nominal thickness of 3/16 inch or less. It covers light gauge steel used in metal building systems, cold-formed steel framing, structural decking connections, and other applications where thin sheet steel carries structural loads. Any welder performing production welds on D1.3-specified sheet steel structural work must hold a current qualification.
What thickness range does AWS D1.3 cover?
AWS D1.3 covers sheet steel with a base metal thickness at the point of welding of 3/16 inch (4.8mm) or less. If your base metal is over 3/16 inch at the weld joint, AWS D1.1 governs. If it is 3/16 inch or less, AWS D1.3 applies. Some projects have both — structural framing under D1.1 and sheet metal connections under D1.3 — requiring both qualifications.
How is AWS D1.3 different from AWS D1.1?
D1.1 covers structural steel plate and shapes. D1.3 covers sheet steel — thin gauge material where burn-through is a constant risk and heat control is critical. D1.3 also addresses arc spot welds used to attach decking to structural framing — a joint type that does not exist in D1.1. The two qualifications are completely separate.
What are arc spot welds and are they covered by D1.3 qualification?
Arc spot welds — also called puddle welds — are made by burning through the top sheet and fusing into the supporting structural member below. They are used to attach metal roof and floor decking to structural framing. AWS D1.3 covers arc spot welds in addition to conventional groove and fillet welds. Arc spot weld qualification is a separate test — a welder must specifically qualify for arc spot welds if that is what the production work requires.
Can a D1.1 qualified welder perform D1.3 sheet metal welding?
Not without separate D1.3 qualification. AWS D1.3 is a separate code for a different base metal thickness range and includes joint types — arc spot welds — that D1.1 does not address. A welder with D1.1 plate qualification has not demonstrated the burn-through control and arc spot weld skill required for D1.3 work. Many projects require both qualifications when structural framing (D1.1) and sheet decking connections (D1.3) are present.
What welding processes are covered by AWS D1.3?
AWS D1.3 recognizes SMAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW for sheet metal structural welding. GMAW short-circuit is the dominant process for sheet metal structural work. Each process must be separately qualified — a GMAW qualification does not cover SMAW or FCAW.
Does AWS D1.3 allow mail-in welder qualification testing?
Yes. AWS D1.3 does not require the examiner to witness the welding. The welder produces the test coupon at their facility following an approved WPS and ships it to WeldCertTest for CWI visual inspection and mechanical testing. Sheet metal test coupons are thin and must be packaged carefully to arrive undamaged — our shipping guide covers proper packaging.
What positions does AWS D1.3 welder qualification cover?
AWS D1.3 uses the same position designations as D1.1. A 3F and 4F combined fillet weld qualification covers all fillet weld positions. For groove welds, 3G and 4G combined covers all groove positions. For arc spot welds, a flat (1AS) qualification covers flat only — an overhead (4AS) qualification covers all arc spot positions including overhead, which is critical for decking work.
What are essential variables under AWS D1.3?
Essential variables under D1.3 include: change in welding process, change in base metal thickness beyond the qualified range, change in position beyond coverage, and change in joint type (groove vs. fillet vs. arc spot — these are separately qualified). For arc spot welds, the diameter of the spot weld is also a qualification variable. Changes in these variables require a new test coupon and new qualification.
What documentation is issued after passing AWS D1.3 welder qualification?
WeldCertTest issues a Welder Performance Qualification record documenting welder identification, date of qualification, welding process, base metal thickness, joint type (groove, fillet, or arc spot), test position, and test results. The WPQ is signed by the CWI examiner and constitutes the official D1.3 qualification record for use on sheet metal structural projects.
What edition of AWS D1.3 is currently in effect?
The current edition is AWS D1.3/D1.3M:2018, Structural Welding Code — Sheet Steel. D1.3 has been revised roughly every decade since its first publication in 1978 (then titled Specification for Welding Sheet Steel in Structures), with editions in 1981, 1989, 1998, 2008, and 2018. The 2018 edition is the current standard with no published amendment. D1.3 references AWS D1.1 for base steels and other provisions where the two codes parallel each other, so the AWS D1.1:2025 clause renumbering flows through to D1.3 practice in those cross-reference areas.
Does AWS D1.3 cover hollow structural sections (HSS) and tubing?
Yes — but only thin-wall HSS. AWS D1.3:2018 includes hollow structural sections (HSS) with wall thickness less than 1/8 inch (3mm) in its scope. This addition makes D1.3 the controlling code for many lightweight tubular truss members, rack frame tubing, ornamental tubular components, and small structural tube assemblies that are too thin for D1.1. HSS with wall thickness 1/8 inch or greater remains under AWS D1.1. Design requirements for HSS member connections are not included in D1.3 — only the welding.
What kinds of production welding actually require AWS D1.3 qualification?
AWS D1.3 applies to a wide range of light gauge structural production work, including: metal building secondary framing (purlins, girts, eave struts) attached to primary structural; roof and floor deck arc spot welding (attaching steel deck to primary framing); cold-formed steel stud and track connections in commercial and multi-family construction; light HSS tubular truss members under 1/8 inch wall; storage rack frame welding; solar panel support structure fabrication; ornamental and architectural light steel framing; and structural decking arc seam welding for composite floor systems. If the base metal is 3/16 inch or less and load-bearing, D1.3 applies.
Does an AWS D1.3 qualification produce a WPQ record or an AWS Certified Welder card?
An AWS D1.3 qualification through WeldCertTest produces an official WPQ (Welder Performance Qualification) record — the code-required document for AWS D1.3 sheet metal structural welder qualification. WeldCertTest does not issue AWS Certified Welder cards (the AWS-administered QC7 program credential) because that program is a separate AWS structural credential, not a substitute for code-required WPQ documentation. For D1.3 project compliance, the WPQ documentation referencing D1.3 is what general contractors, project owners, engineers of record, and third-party inspectors verify — not an AWS card. Read the full WPQ vs AWS Certified Welder breakdown →

Reviewed by the People Behind the Inspection

Every page on this site is reviewed by the people performing the actual qualification work — not anonymous content writers.

Timothy Dodd, AWS Certified Welding Inspector

Timothy Dodd

AWS CWI #00120381 • ICC S2 #8184186

AWS Certified Welding Inspector. Performs all CWI visual inspection for WeldCertTest welder qualification testing. Reviews technical content for code accuracy. Owner of Xenogenesis, LLC.

Roger Baldwin, Site Owner and Operator

Roger Baldwin

Site Owner & Operator

Owner and operator of WeldCertTest.com. 28 years in the broader nondestructive testing industry. Handles business operations; partners with Timothy Dodd for all CWI inspection and technical content review.

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Content reviewed by Timothy Dodd, AWS CWI #00120381 · Last reviewed May 16, 2026