EAW NCI

Welding Joint Design

and
Welding Symbols
 OBJECTIVES
• After completing this chapter, the student
should be able to:
– understand the basics of joint design.
– list the five major types of joints.
– list seven types of weld grooves.
– identify the major parts of a welding symbol.
– explain the parts of a groove preparation.
– describe how nondestructive test symbols are used.
 KEY TERMS
• combination symbol • joint type
• edge preparation • weld joint
• groove (G) and fillet • weld location
(F) • weld types
• joint dimensions • welding symbols
• Welding
any process in which two or more pieces of
metal are joined together by the application
of heat, pressure or a combination of both.
• Weld
a union between materials caused by application
of heat, pressure or a combination of both.
• Joint
is “the junction of members or edges of
members that are to be joined or have been
joined.”
 WELD JOINT DESIGN
• The term weld joint design refers to the
way pieces of metal are put together or
aligned with each other.
– Butt joint
– Lap joint
– Tee joint
– Outside corner joint
– Edge joint
1. BUTT JOINT
- describes the configuration when
two members to be joined are
aligned in the same plane and are
connected at their edges.
 
EDGE PREPARATION
 JOINT DIMENSIONS
• In some cases, the exact size, shape, and angle can be
specified for a groove,
• If exact dimensions are not given, you may make the groove
any size you feel necessary; but remember, the wider the
groove, the more welding it will require to complete.
 METAL THICKNESS
• As the metal becomes thicker, you must change the joint
design to ensure a sound weld.
• On thin sections it is often possible to make full penetration
welds using a square butt joint.
• When welding on thick plate or pipe, it is often impossible
for the welder to get 100% penetration without some type of
groove being used.
 METAL THICKNESS
• U-groove and J-groove joint types.
 METAL THICKNESS
• Back gouging a weld joint to ensure 100% joint penetration.
2. CORNER JOINT
- two members to be joined are aligned
in perpendicular planes and their edges
are connected.
WELDING SYMBOLS OF CORNER JOINT
3. TEE JOINT
– is similar in that the two members to
be joined are aligned in perpendicular
planes, except the edge of one member is
joined to the planar surface of the other.
TEE JOINT EDGE PREPARATIONS AND
WELD TYPES
4. LAP JOINT
– the two members are aligned in parallel
planes, but not the same plane.
5. EDGE JOINT
– two members lying in parallel planes,
but the two members are aligned with their
planar surfaces in contact, so that the actual
welding occurs around the perimeter, or
outside of the joint.
EDGE JOINT – EDGE PREPARATION
 TYPES OF WELDS
 Groove
 Projection
 Fillet
 Stud
 Plug
 Surfacing
 Slot
 Flange
 Spot
 Back
 Seam
 Backing
 GROOVE WELD
SINGLE DOUBLE

Double
Square Groove
Square -Groove
Weld
Weld

Double
Bevel Bevel Groove
Groove Weld Weld
 GROOVE WELD
SINGLE DOUBLE

Double
V - Groove Weld
V - Groove Weld

Double
Flare - Bevel Flare-Bevel
Groove Weld Groove Weld
 GROOVE WELD
SINGLE DOUBLE

Double
Flare
Flare V- Groove
V-Groove Weld
Weld
FILLET WELD

Convex
Contour
Flush
Contour Concave
Contour
PLUG WELD
SLOT WELD
SPOT WELD
 FLANGE WELD
Edge Flange Corner Flange
Weld Weld
SURFACING WELD
 WELDING SYMBOLS
• The use of welding symbols enables a designer to indicate
clearly to the welder important detailed information regarding
the weld.
• The information in the welding symbol can include the
following details for the weld: length, depth of penetration,
height of reinforcement, groove type, groove dimensions,
location, process, filler metal, strength, number of welds, weld
shape, and surface finishing.
• Welding symbols are a shorthand language for the welder.
• Welding symbols have been standardized by the American
Welding Society.
• Figure 22-16 shows the basic components of welding symbols,
consisting of a reference line with an arrow on one end.
WELDING SYMBOLS (cont.)
 INDICATING TYPES OF WELDS
• Weld types are classified as follows: fillets, grooves, flange, plug or slot,
spot or projection, seam, back or backing, and surfacing.
• Each type of weld has a specific symbol that is used on drawings to
indicate the weld.
 WELD LOCATION
• Welding symbols are applied to the joint as the basic reference.
• All joints have an arrow side (near side) and other side (far side).
• Accordingly, the terms arrow side, other side, and both sides are used
to indicate the weld location with respect to the joint.
• The reference line is always drawn horizontally.
• An arrow line is drawn from one end or both ends of a reference line
to the location of the weld. The arrow line can point to either side of
the joint and extend either upward or downward.
• The tail is added to the basic welding symbol when it is necessary to
designate the welding specifications, procedures, or other
supplementary information needed to make the weld, Figure 22-19.
 WELD LOCATION (cont.)
• Designating weld locations.
 WELD LOCATION (cont.)

– The notation placed in the tail of the symbol may indicate the
welding process to be used, the type of filler metal needed,
whether or not peening or root chipping is required, and other
information pertaining to the weld. If notations are not used, the
tail of the symbol is omitted.
LOCATION SIGNIFICANCE OF ARROW
• In the case of fillet and groove welding symbols, the arrow
connects the welding symbol reference line to one side of
the joint.
• The surface of the joint the arrow point actually touches is
considered to be the arrow side of the joint.
• The side opposite the arrow side of the joint is considered to
be the other (far) side of the joint.
• On a drawing, when a joint is illustrated by a single line and
the arrow of a welding symbol is directed to the line, the
arrow side of the joint is considered to be the near side of
the joint.
 FILLET WELDS
• Dimensions of fillet welds are shown on the same side of
the reference line as the weld symbol and are shown to the
left of the symbol, Figure 22-20A.
 FILLET WELDS (cont.)
• In intermittent fillet welds, the length and pitch increments
are placed to the right of the weld symbol.
 FILLET WELDS (cont.)
• Intermittent welds were used to help prevent cracks from
spreading due to the severe vibration and stress during the
launching of the Saturn V booster rocket, which was used to
launch astronauts to the moon.
• It is easier for a crack to propagate through a continuous
weld than it is on an intermittent weld, where it has to restart
at the beginning of each weld.
 PLUG WELDS
• Holes in the arrow side member of a joint for plug welding
are indicated by placing the weld symbol below the
reference line.
• Holes in the other side member of a joint for plug welding
are indicated by placing the weld symbol above the
reference line, Figure 22-23.
 PLUG WELDS (cont.)
• Applying dimensions to plug welds.
 SPOT WELDS
• Dimensions of resistance spot welds are indicated on the
same side of the reference line as the weld symbol, Figure
22-24.
• Such welds are dimensioned either by size or strength.
 SPOT WELDS (cont.)
• Spot welding symbols
 SPOT WELDS (cont.)
• Designating strength and number of spot welds
 SEAM WELDS
• Dimensions of seam welds are shown on the same side of
the reference line as the weld symbol.
• Dimensions relate to either size or strength.
 SEAM WELDS (cont.)
• The strength of seam welds is designated as the minimum
acceptable shear strength in pounds per linear inch.
• The strength value is placed to the left of the weld symbol.
• Strength of seam weld with an electron beam.
 GROOVE WELDS
• Joint strength can be improved
by making some type of groove
preparation before the joint is
welded.
• The various types of groove
welds are classified as follows:
– Single-groove and symmetrical
double-groove welds that extend
completely through the members
being joined. No size is included
on the weld symbol, Figure 22-
28A and B.
 GROOVE WELDS (cont.)

– Groove welds that extend only

partway through the parts being
joined.
– The size as measured from the
top of the surface to the bottom
(not including reinforcement) is
included to the left of the
welding symbol, Figure 22-28C.
– The size of groove welds with a
specified effective throat is
indicated by showing the depth
of groove preparation with the
effective throat appearing in
parentheses and placed to the left
of the weld symbol, Figure 22-
28D.
 GROOVE WELDS (cont.)
– The size of square groove welds
is indicated by showing the root
penetration. The depth of
chamfering and the root
penetration are read in that order
from left to right along the
reference line.
– The root opening of groove
welds is the user’s standard
unless otherwise indicated. The
root opening of groove welds,
when not the user’s standard, is
shown inside the weld symbol,
Figure 22-28E and F.
 GROOVE WELDS (cont.)
– The size of groove welds with a
specified effective throat is indicated
by showing the depth of groove
preparation with the effective throat
appearing in parentheses and placed
to the left of the weld symbol, Figure
22-28D. The size of square groove
welds is indicated by showing the
root penetration. The depth of
chamfering and the root penetration
are read in that order from left to
right along the reference line.
– The root opening of groove welds is
the user’s standard unless otherwise
indicated. The root opening of
groove welds, when not the user’s
standard, is shown inside the weld
symbol, Figure 22-28E and F.
 GROOVE WELDS (cont.)
– The root face’s main purpose is to minimize the burn-through
that can occur with a feather edge. The size of the root face is
important to ensure good root fusion, Figure 22-29.
 GROOVE WELDS (cont.)
– The size of flare
groove welds is
considered to extend
only to the tangent
points of the
members, Figure 22-
30.
 BACKING
• A backing (strip) is a piece of metal that is placed on the back side of a weld joint.
• The backing must be thick enough to withstand the heat of the root pass as it is
burned in.
• A backing strip may be used on butt joints, tee joints, and outside corner joints,
Figure 22-31.
 BACKING (cont.)
• The backing may be
either left on the
finished weld or
removed following
welding.
• If the backing is to be
removed, the letter R
is placed in the
backing symbol,
Figure 22-32.
 FLANGED WELDS
• The following welding symbols
are used for light-gauge metal
joints where the edges to be
joined are bent to form flange or
flare welds.
– Edge flange welds are shown by
the edge flange weld symbol.
– Corner flange welds are indicated
by the corner flange weld symbol.
 FLANGED WELDS (cont.)

– Dimensions of flange welds are

shown on the same side of the
reference line as the weld symbol
and are placed to the left of the
symbol, Figure 22-33. The radius
and height above the point of
tangency are indicated by
showing both the radius and the
height separated by a plus sign.
– The size of the flange weld is
shown by a dimension placed
outward from the flanged
dimensions.
 NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYMBOLS
• The increased use of nondestructive testing (NDT) as a
means of quality assurance has resulted in the development
of standardized symbols.
• The symbol for the type of nondestructive test to be used,
Table 22-1, is shown with a reference line.
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYMBOLS (cont.)
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYMBOLS (cont.)
• Basic nondestructive testing symbol.
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYMBOLS (cont.)
• Testing symbols used to indicate what side is to be tested.
• Symbols above the line indicate other side, symbols below
the line indicate arrow side, and symbols on the line indicate
no preference for the side to be tested.
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYMBOLS (cont.)
• Two or more tests may be required for the same section of
weld.
• Methods of combining testing symbols to indicate more
than one type of test to be performed.
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYMBOLS (cont.)

• Two methods of designating the length of weld to be tested.

• The length either may be given to the right of the test symbol,
usually in inches, or can be shown by the arrow line,
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYMBOLS (cont.)
• The number of tests to be made is given in parentheses ( )
above or below the test symbol.
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYMBOLS (cont.)
• The welding symbols and nondestructive testing symbols
can be combined into one symbol.
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING SYMBOLS (cont.)
• The combination symbol may help both the welder and
inspector to identify welds that need special attention.
• A special symbol can be used to show the direction of
radiation used in a radiographic test.
 PRACTICE 22-1
• Reading Welding Symbols
– Using a pencil and lined paper, you are going to identify the
welding symbols identified by the red numbered circles shown
in, Figure 22-41. Write the numbers 1 through 9 vertically down
the left side of the page. Next to each number sketch a cross
section of the weld indicated by the welding symbol. Next write
a statement explaining each of the parts of the welding symbol.
PRACTICE 22-1 (cont.)
 SUMMARY
• Understanding the physics of joint design is essential for the
welder so that you can recognize and anticipate the various
forces that will be applied to a weldment in the field.
• Engineers use static and dynamic loading computer programs
to anticipate the weldment’s strength requirements.
• In the field, the welder is expected to understand the types of
forces being applied to the weldment and to determine the
best joint design to prevent these forces from causing a
structural failure.
• Understanding the significance of a welding symbol will
prevent one of the most common problems in the field—that
of overwelding.