Does changing from SMAW to FCAW-G always require a new PQR under AWS D1.1?

Yes. Welding process is an essential variable under AWS D1.1:2025 Table 6.6. Switching from SMAW to FCAW-G is a change of process and requires a new PQR test. You cannot extend an existing SMAW PQR to cover FCAW-G work.

Can we use a prequalified FCAW-G WPS without a PQR if we already have a qualified SMAW WPS?

A prequalified WPS under Clause 5 never requires a PQR regardless of whether a SMAW WPS exists. However, FCAW-G with certain electrodes (such as E71T-1 or E71T-9) is prequalified for most structural positions provided all Clause 5 limits are met. If any parameter falls outside prequalified limits, a PQR is required.

Which FCAW-G electrodes are prequalified under AWS D1.1:2025 for structural CJP groove welds?

AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 5 permits E7XT-1, E7XT-9, E7XT-12, and certain other FCAW-G designators for prequalified WPS use. The specific electrode must appear in the applicable AWS A5.20 or A5.36 classification and meet any CVN supplementary requirements that apply to the project.

If we qualify FCAW-G with a PQR, does that PQR also cover a future SMAW root pass?

Not automatically. A multi-process WPS requires PQR support for each process used, or the combination must be tested together. A SMAW root / FCAW-G fill WPS needs a combined PQR or separate PQRs for each process segment, depending on how the WPS declares the process boundary.

Nov 2, 20266 min read

SMAW to FCAW-G Process Change: What Triggers Requalification

Switching from SMAW to FCAW-G in structural fabrication requires a new PQR under AWS D1.1:2025. Learn which essential variables change and how to qualify the new process efficiently.

WPS SMAW FCAW process change requalification AWS D1.1

New to procedures? Start with WPS welding: what a welding procedure specification is, with a filled-in example.

Structural fabricators regularly upgrade from shielded metal arc welding to gas-shielded flux-cored arc welding for productivity reasons. FCAW-G offers higher deposition rates, better operator factor on repetitive joints, and cleaner out-of-position performance on low-hydrogen-classified electrodes. But swapping a process mid-project without requalifying is one of the most common WPS compliance failures that shows up in AISC certification audits and owner-representative inspections. This article explains exactly what AWS D1.1:2025 requires when a fab shop converts production welding from SMAW to FCAW-G.

Process Is an Essential Variable Under Table 6.6

AWS D1.1:2025 Table 6.6 governs the essential variables for prequalified and tested WPS documents covering SMAW, SAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW processes. Row 1 of Table 6.6 identifies a change in welding process as an essential variable — meaning any change requires requalification. Rule library based on AWS D1.1:2025; verify against your governing edition.

SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding) and FCAW-G (Flux-Cored Arc Welding, gas-shielded) are distinct welding processes with separate designations in the AWS A5 filler metal standards and separate process code letters in WPS documentation. When a fab shop transitions a joint from SMAW with E7018 to FCAW-G with E71T-1C-H8, that is a process change — not an electrode substitution — and it invalidates the existing SMAW PQR as the supporting document for that joint.

Two Paths Forward After a Process Change

When SMAW production welding shifts to FCAW-G, the shop has two qualification paths:

Path 1 — Prequalified WPS under Clause 5. If the intended FCAW-G electrode is listed in the prequalified filler metal table (AWS D1.1:2025 Table 5.3 for FCAW-G), and all joint geometry, base metal, preheat, and parameter constraints of Clause 5 are met, the shop can write a new prequalified FCAW-G WPS with no PQR required. This is the fastest path and works for most common structural groove and fillet joints on Group I and Group II base metals.

Path 2 — Tested WPS under Clause 6. If the FCAW-G electrode or joint configuration falls outside prequalified limits — oversized root opening, unlisted electrode designation, base metal in Groups III or IV, CVN supplementary essential variable requirements — the shop must run a PQR under Clause 6 using the FCAW-G process. A SMAW PQR, regardless of how recently it was qualified or how well the tensile tests performed, cannot be extended to cover FCAW-G.

Essential Variables That Shift When Switching to FCAW-G

Beyond the process designation itself, several other essential variables are reset when moving from SMAW to FCAW-G:

Filler metal classification. The electrode class is an essential variable (Table 6.6 row 3 for FCAW-G). An E7018 SMAW electrode and an E71T-1C-H8 FCAW-G wire have entirely different AWS A5 classifications. The classification must appear on the FCAW-G WPS and be supported by the PQR or prequalified table entry.

Shielding gas. SMAW uses no shielding gas; FCAW-G requires it. Adding shielding gas is both a process indicator and an essential variable in its own right (Table 6.6 row 32). The gas composition, flow rate, and nozzle design must be documented on the FCAW-G WPS. A change in gas mixture percentage or shield gas type after initial qualification requires requalification.

Wire diameter. SMAW electrode diameter and FCAW-G wire diameter are both essential variables (Table 6.6 row 4 for electrode diameter). However, the diameter ranges for FCAW-G wire (typically 0.035 in., 0.045 in., 1/16 in.) differ from SMAW stick diameters, and the PQR must be run with the wire diameter(s) that will be used in production.

Current type and polarity. SMAW E7018 runs DCEP (Direct Current Electrode Positive). Most FCAW-G electrodes also run DCEP, but current type and polarity are essential variables (Table 6.6). If the SMAW WPS was qualified DCEP and the FCAW-G will also run DCEP, this particular variable carries over. A switch to DCEN would require requalification.

Heat input range. FCAW-G at production deposition rates often produces higher heat input than manual SMAW on the same joint. If the project specification or the base metal (particularly TMCP or quench-and-tempered grades) imposes a maximum heat input limit, the FCAW-G PQR must be run within that limit to qualify the range. See Heat Input Qualified Range for Tested WPS Essential Variables for the formula and documentation requirements.

Handling the Transition for In-Progress Projects

When a fab shop decides mid-job to switch from SMAW to FCAW-G — often driven by productivity pressure or electrode availability — the sequencing of paperwork matters:

Stop welding with the new process until a qualified WPS exists for it, or confirm that a prequalified FCAW-G WPS can be written and signed immediately.
If using the prequalified path, write, review, and sign the FCAW-G WPS before production resumes. The WPS must be physically available at the work area per AWS D1.1 Clause 6.3.
If a PQR is required, schedule the qualification test and continue SMAW production on joints covered by the existing qualified SMAW WPS while the test is being processed.
Document the transition date in the welding records so the inspector can confirm which welds were made under which WPS. Weld maps and traveler documents are the right vehicle for this.

Changing process without following these steps creates a compliance gap: welds already made under the wrong documentation cannot be retroactively covered by a PQR obtained after the fact.

CVN Requirements and the FCAW-G Electrode Selection

Many structural projects for buildings in Seismic Design Categories D, E, and F, or bridge projects, require CVN supplementary essential variables to be considered under AWS D1.1:2025 Table 6.8. When CVN requirements apply, the filler metal's AWS classification must include the appropriate impact toughness designator (for example, -H4 or the "-1" suffix for E71T-1C-J).

If the existing SMAW WPS was qualified with CVN testing and the shop is switching to FCAW-G for demand-critical or seismic welds, the FCAW-G PQR must also include CVN tests from the deposited weld metal at the required temperature. Substituting a non-CVN-tested FCAW-G electrode for a CVN-tested SMAW electrode on a demand-critical joint is a violation of both Table 6.6 and Table 6.8. See CVN Supplementary Essential Variables Under AWS D1.1 Table 6.8 for the test requirements.

Prequalified FCAW-G: When No PQR Is Needed

For routine structural joints on A36 (Table 5.6 Group I), A572 Grade 50, or A992 (Table 5.6 Group II) base metals, the prequalified route under Clause 5 is available for FCAW-G provided the electrode is AWS D1.1 listed. Electrodes classified to AWS A5.20 as E71T-1C or E71T-1M (and their -H8 or -H4 variants) are standard prequalified choices for flat, horizontal, and vertical-up positions. The E71T-9 series offers prequalified status with better CVN performance.

The shop writes the new FCAW-G WPS to Clause 5 requirements, specifying the process as FCAW-G, listing the electrode classification, shielding gas, wire diameter, and production parameter ranges. Once the responsible CWI signs it, the document is valid for production use — no PQR needed, no coupon testing, no lab work. This is why most shops on standard structural projects can complete the SMAW-to-FCAW-G paperwork transition in a day.

For less common electrodes, high-strength base metals, or unusual joint configurations, a tested WPS with a full PQR is the only compliant path. See Adding a New Welding Process: AWS D1.1 Requalification Path for a systematic approach to expanding your WPS library. And if you want to manage all your WPS documents in one place with built-in validation, visit /pricing to see how WPS Welding supports multi-process shops.

FAQ

Frequently asked.

Does changing from SMAW to FCAW-G always require a new PQR under AWS D1.1?: Yes. Welding process is an essential variable under AWS D1.1:2025 Table 6.6. Switching from SMAW to FCAW-G is a change of process and requires a new PQR test. You cannot extend an existing SMAW PQR to cover FCAW-G work.
Can we use a prequalified FCAW-G WPS without a PQR if we already have a qualified SMAW WPS?: A prequalified WPS under Clause 5 never requires a PQR regardless of whether a SMAW WPS exists. However, FCAW-G with certain electrodes (such as E71T-1 or E71T-9) is prequalified for most structural positions provided all Clause 5 limits are met. If any parameter falls outside prequalified limits, a PQR is required.
Which FCAW-G electrodes are prequalified under AWS D1.1:2025 for structural CJP groove welds?: AWS D1.1:2025 Clause 5 permits E7XT-1, E7XT-9, E7XT-12, and certain other FCAW-G designators for prequalified WPS use. The specific electrode must appear in the applicable AWS A5.20 or A5.36 classification and meet any CVN supplementary requirements that apply to the project.
If we qualify FCAW-G with a PQR, does that PQR also cover a future SMAW root pass?: Not automatically. A multi-process WPS requires PQR support for each process used, or the combination must be tested together. A SMAW root / FCAW-G fill WPS needs a combined PQR or separate PQRs for each process segment, depending on how the WPS declares the process boundary.