Welding Symbols and

Nomenclature
(AWS A 2.1)
BASICALLY WELDING SYMBOLS ARE USED IN
ENGINEERING & FABRICATION DRAWINGS TO SHOW
WHERE THE WELD IS TO BE (MADE)DONE

THE SYMBOL ALSO SHOWS THE SIZE, TYPE OF

WELD,NUMBER OF WELDS, DETAILS ABOUT THE
WELD, DETAIL ABOUT THE JOINT & DETAILS OF NDT
REQUIREMENTS WHENEVER REQUIRED
 UNDERSTANDING WELDING SYMBOL

THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF WELDING SYMBOL ARE

1. REFERENCE LINE
2. ARROW
3. TAIL
4. ALL AROUND
5. FLAG
 1.REFERENCE LINE

THE REFERENCE LINE IS THE MAIN ELEMENT ON

THE WELD SYMBOL. THIS LINE IS THE ANCHOR
TO WHICH ALL THE OTHER ELEMENTS ARE TIED.

REFERENCE LINE

THE REFERENCE LINE IS ALWAYS HORIZONTAL

 2.ARROW
THE REFERENCE LINE HAS A LEADER AND ARROW THAT POINTS TO THE JOINT
THAT IS TO BE WELDED.
REFERENCE LINE

ARROW
THERE CAN BE MULTIPLE ARROWS TO SHOW SAME WELD IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS (3 IN
THE SKETCH) THAT ARE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER

ARROW
 REFERENCE LINE ARROW BREAK

•THE BREAK IN THE ARROW SHOWN IS TO INDICATE THE JOINT

MEMBER THAT IS TO BE EDGE PREPARED.

•ARROW POINTS TO THE MEMBER WHERE THE BEVEL NEEDS TO BE

PREPARED
 3.TAIL
THE TAIL GIVES THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROCESS,
SPECIFICATION OR OTHER NOTES

REFERENC LINE
TAIL

ARROW

IF THE ELEMENTS ON THE REFERENCE LINE DESCRIBE THE

NECESSARY DETAILS (AS IT DOES IN MOST CASES) THE TAIL IS NOT
USED
 4. ALL ARROUND
• A CIRCLE AROUND THE POINT WHERE THE LEADER LINE
WITH ARROW CONNECTS TO THE REFERENCE LINE
INDICATES THE WELD IS “ALL ARROUND”. THIS MEANS
THE WELD EXTENDS ALL THE WAY ARROUND THE JOINT
THE ARROW IS POINTING TO
 ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT THE REFERENCE LINE AND THE
WELDING SYMBOL IS THE TOP & BOTTOM OF THE HORIZONTAL LINE.

BOTTOM OF THE REFERENCE LINE : ARROW SIDE

TOP OF THE REFERENCE LINE: OTHER SIDE

OTHER SIDE
ARROW SIDE

THE ACTUAL SYMBOL THAT SHOWS THE TYPE OF WELD AND THE ELEMENTS
SURROUNDING IT THAT DETAIL THE WELD CAN BE PLACED ON THE TOP OF THE
LINE OR ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LINE
SYMBOLS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE REFERENCE LINE MEAN WELD THE SIDE OF
THE JOINT THE ARROW IS TOUCHING OR POINTING TO.
SYMBOLS ON THE TOP OF THE REFERENCE LINE MEAN WELD THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE JOINT OR THE SIDE OPPOSITE TO WHERE THE ARROW IS POINTING.
 5.FLAG
• AN ELEMENT RESEMBLING A FLAG LOCATED WHERE THE
LEADER LINE JOINS THE REFERENCE LINE INDICTES THAT
THE WELD IS A FIELD WELD WHICH WILL BE DONE IN
ANOTHER LOCATION - AT SITE (NOT IN THE SHOP)
DURING ERECTION.
Weld All Around
Fillet Welds
Fillet Welds
 The square groove weld, in which the
"groove" is created by either a tight fit or
a slight separation of the edges. The
amount of separation, if any, is given on
the weld symbol.

The V-groove weld, in which

the edges of both pieces are
chamfered, either singly or
doubly, to create the groove.
The angle of the V is given on
the weld symbol, as is the
separation at the root (if any).
The V-groove weld, in which the edges of both pieces are
chamfered, either singly or doubly, to create the groove. The angle
of the V is given on the weld symbol, as is the separation at the
root (if any).
The bevel groove weld, in which the edge of one of the
pieces is chamfered and the other is left square. The bevel
symbol's perpendicular line is always drawn on the left side,
regardless of the orientation of the weld itself. The arrow
points toward the piece that is to be chamfered. This extra
significance is emphasized by a break in the arrow line. (The
break is not necessary if the designer has no preference as to
which piece gets the edge treatment or if the piece to receive
the treatment should be obvious to a qualified welder.) Angle
and depth of edge treatment, effective throat, and separation
at the root are also described as necessary.
The U-groove weld, in which the edges of both pieces are
given a concave treatment. Depth of edge treatment,
effective throat, and separation at the root are described as
shown below.
The J-groove weld, in which the edge of one of the
pieces is given a concave treatment and the other is left
square. It is to the U-groove weld what the bevel groove
weld is to the V-groove weld. As with the bevel, the
perpendicular line is always drawn on the left side and
the arrow (with a break, if necessary) points to the piece
that receives the edge treatment.