Steel welding is governed by AWS D1.1, and a fabricator or erector that does not read the welding procedures and inspection requirements underprices the labor and the quality control.
What AWS D1.1 sets
AWS D1.1, the Structural Welding Code for steel, governs the welding procedures, the welder qualifications, and the weld inspection on structural steel. A steel package references AWS D1.1 to set the weld types, the procedure specifications, and the visual and nondestructive testing the fabricator and erector must perform and document.
Why welding scope is easy to misprice
The weld types, the procedure and welder qualifications, and the inspection and nondestructive testing sit in the Division 05 specifications, not the title. A sub that underreads the inspection or testing carries the wrong quality control labor into the bid.
How an AI bid agent reads welding requirements
An AI bid agent reads each steel package, identifies the AWS D1.1 welding and inspection scope, and surfaces the weld types, the qualifications, and the testing that drive the work. The fabricator and erector price the actual quality control.
You can see how the agent reads a steel package in our AI bid agent demo for specialty trade contractors. It pulls the AWS D1.1 welding and inspection scope so the quality control is priced.