CSWIP 3.

1 Welding Inspection

Welding Symbols
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Course Reference WIS 5
Course notes section reference 9.0
 Weld symbols on drawings

Joints in drawings may be indicated:

•by detailed sketches, showing every dimension

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•by symbolic representation
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 Weld symbols on drawings

A method of transferring information from the

design office to the workshop is:

Please weld
here

The above information does not tell us much about the wishes

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of the designer. We obviously need some sort of code which
would be understood by everyone.
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Most countries have their own standards for symbols.
Some of them are AWS A2.4 & BS EN 22553 (ISO 2553)
 Weld symbols on drawings

Advantages of symbolic representation:

• simple and quick plotting on the drawing
• does not over-burden the drawing
• no need for additional view
• gives all necessary indications regarding the specific joint to be
obtained

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Disadvantages of symbolic representation:
• used only for usual joints
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• requires training for properly understanding of symbols
 Weld symbols on drawings

The symbolic representation includes:

• an arrow line
• a reference line
• an elementary symbol

The elementary symbol may be completed by:

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• a supplementary symbol
• a means of showing dimensions
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• some complementary indications
 Arrow Line

(BS EN ISO 22553 & AWS A2.4):

Convention of the arrow line:
• Shall touch the joint intersection
• Shall not be parallel to the drawing
• Shall point towards a single plate preparation (when only
one plate has preparation)

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 Reference Line

(AWS A2.4)
Convention of the reference line:
Shall touch the arrow line
Shall be parallel to the bottom of the drawing

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 Reference Line

(BS EN ISO 22553)

Convention of the reference line:
• Shall touch the arrow line
• Shall be parallel to the bottom of the drawing
• There shall be a further broken identification line above or
beneath the reference line (Not necessary where the weld
is symmetrical!)

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or ©

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 Elementary Welding Symbols
(BS EN ISO 22553 & AWS A2.4)
Convention of the elementary symbols:
Various categories of joints are characterised by an elementary
symbol.
The vertical line in the symbols for a fillet weld, single/double bevel
butts and a J-butt welds must always be on the left side.

Weld type Sketch Symbol

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Square edge
butt weld
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Single-v
butt weld
 Elementary Welding Symbols

Weld type Sketch Symbol

Single-V butt weld

with broad root
face

Single bevel
butt weld

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Single bevel butt
weld with broad
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root face

Backing run
 Elementary Welding Symbols
Weld type Sketch Symbol
Single-U
butt weld

Single-J
butt weld

Surfacing

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Fillet weld

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 Double side weld symbols

(BS EN ISO 22553 & AWS A2.4)

Convention of the double side weld symbols:
Representation of welds done from both sides of the joint
intersection, touched by the arrow head

Fillet weld Double bevel Double J

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Double V Double U
 Dimensions

Convention of dimensions
In most standards the cross sectional dimensions are given to
the left side of the symbol, and all linear dimensions are give on
the right side

BS EN ISO 22553
a = Design throat thickness
s = Depth of Penetration, Throat thickness
z = Leg length (min material thickness)

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AWS A2.4 ©

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•In a fillet weld, the size of the weld is the leg length
•In a butt weld, the size of the weld is based on the depth of the
joint preparation
 Supplementary symbols
(BS EN ISO 22553 & AWS A2.4)
Convention of supplementary symbols
Supplementary information such as welding process, weld profile,
NDT and any special instructions
Ground flush

111
MR M

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Removable Permanent
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Welding process

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backing strip backing strip numerical BS EN

Further supplementary information, such as WPS number, or

NDT may be placed in the fish tail
 Supplementary symbols
(BS EN ISO 22553 & AWS A2.4)Convention of
supplementary symbols
Supplementary information such as welding process, weld
profile, NDT and any special instructions
Toes to be ground smoothly
(BS EN only)
Site Weld

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Concave or Convex ©

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Weld all round
 Welding Symbols

BS EN 22553 (ISO 2553)

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ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

Reference
lines
Arrow line
Other side
Arrow side

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Arrow side Other side
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ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

Arrow side

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Arrow side
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

Other side

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Other side
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

Both sides

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Both sides
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

a b

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c d
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

Mitre Convex

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Toes
Concave
shall be
blended
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

Field weld (site weld) Welding to be carried out

all round component
(peripheral weld)

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NDT WPS
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The component requires Additional information,
NDT inspection the reference document
is included in the box
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

Peripheral Welds

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z10 z8 ©

10 8

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10 8
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

a = Design throat thickness

s = Depth of Penetration, Throat
thickness
z = Leg length(min material thickness)
a = (0.7 x z)
a4
a
z s 4mm Design throat

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z6
s6 ©

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6mm leg
6mm Actual throat
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
n = number of weld elements
l = length of each weld element
(e) = distance between each weld element

n x l (e)

Welds to be
staggered

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2 x 40 (50)
111 ©

3 x 40 (50)

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Process
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

All dimensions in mm
z5 3 x 80 (90)

z6 3 x 80 (90)

5
80 80 80
5

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6 90 90 90

6
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

All dimensions in mm

z8 3 x 80 (90)
z6 3 x 80 (90)
6
80 80 80
6

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8
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90 90 90

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8
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
MR
M

Single-V Butt with Single-U Butt with

permanent backing strip removable backing strip

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Single-V Butt flush cap Single-U Butt with sealing run
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

Single-bevel butt Double-bevel butt

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Single-bevel butt Single-J butt
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

s10

10
15

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Partial penetration single-V butt
‘S’ indicates the depth of penetration
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553

Plug weld Square Butt weld

Resistance spot weld Steep flanked

Single-V Butt

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Resistance seam weld Surfacing
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
Flared Flange Welds

Joint detail

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Joint detail
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
Numerical Values for Welding Processes:
111: MMA welding with covered electrode
121: Sub-arc welding with wire electrode
131: MIG welding with inert gas shield
135: MAG welding with non-inert gas shield
136: Flux core arc welding

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141: TIG welding
311: Oxy-acetylene welding
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72: Electro-slag welding
15: Plasma arc welding
 ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553 Compound Weld Ex
Complete the symbol drawing for the welded cruciform joint provided below
All welds are welded with the MIG process and fillet welds with the MMA process

z10
30
131 / 111
20
7 10 z10

35 20
30

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15
z10 a 7 ©

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35
131 / 111
15
z10 All fillet weld leg lengths 10 mm
AWS A2.4 Welding Symbols

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 AWS Welding Symbols

Depth of Root Opening

Bevel

1 (1-1/8)
1/8
60o

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Effective Groove Angle

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Throat
 AWS Welding Symbols

Welding Process

GSFCAW
1 (1-1/8)
1/8
60o

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GMAW ©

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GTAW
SAW
 AWS Welding Symbols

GSFCAW
1 (1-1/8)

Applicable to any

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single groove Single Bevel
weld
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AWS Welding Symbols
Welds to be
staggered

3 – 10
SMAW
3 – 10
Process

3 3

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10
 AWS Welding Symbols

3rd Operation
Sequence of
Operations 2nd Operation

1st Operation
FCAW

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1(1-1/8)
1/8 ©

60o

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 AWS Welding Symbols

RT
Sequence of
Operations MT
MT
FCAW

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1(1-1/8)
1/8
60o ©

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AWS Welding Symbols

Dimensions- Leg Length

6 leg on member A
6/8

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Member A 6
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8

Member B
 AWS A 2.4 rules

Welds “on arrow side” of joint go underneath the

reference line while welds “the other side” of the joint, go
on top of the reference line
Symbols with a vertical line component must be drawn
with the vertical line to the left side of the symbol
All CSA dimensions are shown to the left of the symbol

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All linear dimensions are shown on the right of the
symbol i.e. number of welds, length of welds, length of ©

any spaces

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Included angle and root opening are shown on top of the
symbol
 AWS A 2.4 rules-example

10 3 x 50 (70)

70

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50 ©

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10
 BS EN 22553 rules
Welds this side of joint, go on the unbroken reference
line while welds the other side of the joint, go on the
broken reference line
Symbols with a vertical line component must be drawn
with the vertical line to the left side of the symbol
All CSA dimensions are shown to the left of the symbol
All linear dimensions are shown on the right of the

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symbol i.e. number of welds, length of welds, length of ©

any spaces

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Included angle and root opening are shown on top of the
symbol
 BS EN 22553 rules - example

All leg lengths shall be preceded by z and throat by a or

s (in case of deep penetration welds)

z 10 3 x 50 (50)

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50
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50

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10
 Fillet welds

Fillet weld dimensions according AWS A 2.4

8
8

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5 leg on
5x8
vertical ©

member

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5
8
 Fillet welds
Fillet weld dimensions according BS EN 22553

z8
or

z8
8

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a 5 (z 8)
or
a 5 (z 8)
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5

8
 Intermittent fillet welds
Staggered intermittent fillet weld
Symbol to BS EN 22553
pitch (e) length (l)
a

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z n×l (e) a n×l (e)
z n×l (e) a n×l (e)
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or
 Intermittent fillet welds
Staggered intermittent fillet weld
e/2 length (l)
pitch (e)

z l-e

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z l-e
Symbol to AWS A2.4
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 Penetration depth

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?
Any Questions

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