A36 Preheat for SAW — 3/4" to 1-1/2"

SAW (Submerged Arc Welding)

SAW submerges the arc beneath granular flux for highest deposition rates, flat/horizontal only. Category B in Table 5.11.

SAW with F7A2-EM12K wire/flux delivers the highest deposition rates for flat-position fillet welds on building steel. Typical parameters: 500-700 amps, 28-32 volts, 18-30 IPM travel speed. Flux consumption runs approximately equal to wire consumption by weight. Unfused flux recovery and recycling systems are standard in production shops to control consumable costs.

A36

ASTM A36 is the most commonly specified structural steel in North America, with a minimum yield strength of 36 ksi and 58-80 ksi tensile range. It appears in both Category A (non-low-hydrogen SMAW) and Category B (low-hydrogen processes) of Table 5.11. A36 is available as plate (up to 8" thick), W-shapes, channels, angles, and bars from virtually every domestic mill. Its moderate carbon content (0.26% max for shapes, 0.25% max for plate up to 3/4") and typical carbon equivalent of 0.35-0.42 give it good weldability across all prequalified processes. A36 plate thicker than 1-1/2" carries a slightly higher carbon limit of 0.29%, while plate from 3/4" to 1-1/2" stays at 0.25% max.

Why This Preheat for A36 with SAW

Widely used structural carbon steel with 36 ksi yield and 0.26% max carbon. With low-hydrogen SAW, this combination falls under Category B rather than Category A, reflecting the lower hydrogen potential of the consumable. The 50°F minimum preheat is lower than what non-low-hydrogen SMAW would require at the same thickness. Low-hydrogen electrodes and inherently low-hydrogen wire processes reduce the driving force for hydrogen-induced cracking in the heat-affected zone.

Typical Applications for A36

Common in angle-to-gusset fillet welds, beam web clip angles, stiffener plates, base plate bearing connections, light bracing members, stair stringers, handrail posts, and miscellaneous steel fabrication. A36 plate is the default choice for connection elements such as shear tabs, moment end plates under 36 ksi demand, and simple beam-to-column seated connections. In retrofit and renovation, A36 angles and channels are standard for reinforcement brackets and framing infill. Typical shop drawing callouts include 3/8" and 1/2" A36 plate for gussets, 5/16" fillet welds on clip angles, and partial joint penetration groove welds on base plate stiffeners. A36 is so ubiquitous that most structural steel shops maintain permanent inventory in multiple thicknesses from 1/4" through 2" plate. Fillet weld sizes on A36 connections typically range from 3/16" minimum to 5/8" for heavy gusset-to-column welds, with E70XX electrodes providing significant overmatching strength.

Why Preheat Matters at 3/4" to 1-1/2"

Preheat climbs at this range as thicker material slows heat dissipation, trapping hydrogen at crack-susceptible grain boundaries.

Other Steels with SAW at 3/4" to 1-1/2"

A36 with SAW

Try Different Combinations

Use the interactive preheat calculator to look up any steel, process, and thickness combination from D1.1:2025 Table 5.11.

A36 Welding Guides