Welding Symbol Terms:

Reference Line: Is always drawn as a horizontal line.

Arrow: May be drawn from either end of the reference line. It always touches the line that represents the welded joint.

Tail: Used only when necessary. Used to give information on specifications.

Weld Symbol: Indicates the type of weld to be made.

Arrow Side: The side of the metal which the arrow touches.

Other Side: The opposite surface from the arrow.

Root Opening: The space between the pieces at the bottom or root of the joint.

Groove Angle: This is the included angle or total angle of a groove weld.

Contour Symbol: This is the shape or contour of the finished weld. Shown as a straight or curved line.

Finish Symbols: Indicates the method of finishing. C: Chipping G: Grinding M: Machining R: Rolling H: Hammering

Depth of Bevel, Size or Strength: The "S" position on the welding symbol indicates the depth of bevel or the depth of preparation for a groove type joint.

Groove Weld Size: Given in parentheses in the "E" position on the welding symbol indicates the depth to which the weld penetrates into the base metal.

Length of Weld: On intermittent welds, the length dimension is used to indicate the length of each weld.

Pitch of the Weld: This indicates the distance from the center of one weld segment to the center of the next.

Backing Weld Symbol: A backing weld may be used to obtain 100% penetration when welding is possible on both sides.

Melt-Through Symbols: The melt-through symbol is used on welds that are welded from one side only and require 100% penetration.

Weld-All-Around Symbol: This indicates that the same type of weld joint is used on all edges of a box or cylindrical part.

Field Weld Symbol: Used when the weld is to be made away from the shop.

Multiple Reference Lines: Used when a sequence of operations is to be done. The reference line nearest the arrow indicates the first operation. The last operation to be performed is on the reference line furthest from the arrow.

Tips for Welding, Cuttings and Brazing

* Safety and Health Fact Sheets: American Welding Society Fact Sheets covering aspects of safety and health applicable to welding and cutting. Includes subjects such as fumes and gases, radiation, noise and electrical hazards. Produced by the Labeling and Safe Practices Subcommittee of the AWS Safety and Health Committee.

* Electric Welding Safety: Workplace Safety and Health Division of the Manitoba Labour Department, Worksafe Bulletin Provides a short description of the hazards associated with electric arc welding and protective measures.

* Arc Welding Safety: University of Arizona College of Agriculture. The electric arc welder remains one of our most useful and timesaving pieces of shop equipment. Properly installed and used the arc welder is very safe, but if used improperly the operator can be exposed to a number of hazards, including toxic fumes, dusts, burns, fires, explosions, electric shock, radiation, noise, and heat stress.

* American Welding Society: The American Welding Society was founded in 1919 as a multifaceted, nonprofit organization with a goal to advance the science, technology and application of welding and related joining disciplines. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, AWS serves more than 48,500 members in the United States and around the world.

* NIOSH Strategic Research on Welding Identifies Data Needs: Some studies suggest that occupational exposures to welding fumes may pose the risk of serious respiratory, neurological, and reproductive effects. However, the available data generally are too limited to offer conclusive answers. Thus, scientists and policymakers face a need for more and better data.

* Welding Fumes Sampling: This summary prepared by MSHA provides guidance on hazards associated with welding and procedures for chemical sampling.

* Control Technology Assessment of Welding Operations A field study performed by identify, observe, and evaluate engineering control measures that may reduce the amount of fume a worker is exposed to during welding. Includes photos and figures of local exhaust systems.