Welding Symbol

CSWIP 3.
1 Welding Inspection
Welding Symbols
TWI Training & Examination
Services
Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

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
•by symbolic representation

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
of the designer. We obviously need some sort of code which

would be understood by everyone.
Most countries have their own standards for symbols.
Some of them are AWS A2.4 & BS EN 22553 (ISO 2553)
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

Disadvantages of symbolic representation:
• used only for usual joints
• requires training for properly understanding of symbols
The symbolic representation includes:

• an arrow line
• a reference line
• an elementary symbol
The elementary symbol may be completed by:

• a supplementary symbol
• a means of showing dimensions
• 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)

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

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!)
or

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
Square edge

butt weld
Single-v
butt weld
Single-V butt weld

with broad root
face
Single bevel
butt weld

Single bevel butt
weld with broad
root face
Backing run
Single-U
butt weld
Single-J
butt weld
Surfacing

Fillet weld
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

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)

AWS A2.4
•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

Removable Permanent Welding process
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

Concave or Convex
Weld all round

Welding Symbols
BS EN 22553 (ISO 2553)

ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
Reference
lines
Arrow line
Other side
Arrow side

Arrow side Other side
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
Arrow side

Arrow side
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
Other side

Other side
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
Both sides

Both sides
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
a b

c d
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
Mitre Convex

Toes
Concave
shall be
blended
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
Welding to be carried out

Field weld (site weld) all round component
(peripheral weld)
NDT
WPS

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

z10 z8
10 8
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

z6
s6
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

2 x 40 (50)
111
3 x 40 (50)
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

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

8 90 90
90
8
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
MR
M
Single-V Butt with Single-U Butt with

permanent backing strip removable backing strip

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

Single-bevel butt Single-J butt
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553
s10
10
15

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

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

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

141: TIG welding
311: Oxy-acetylene welding
72: Electro-slag welding
15: Plasma arc welding
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553 Butt Weld Ex
1. Welded arrow side: Single-V butt weld with

permanent backing strip, flat weld profile.

2. Welded other side: Single-U butt
weld, flat weld profile
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553 Butt Weld Ex
10
3. Welded arrow side: Single-V butt weld

depth of preparation 10 mm
Welded other side: Backing run. (Plate
thickness 15 mm.)
12
12

4. Welded arrow side: Single-J butt weld, 8
depth of preparation 12 mm with a 8 mm
fillet weld superimposed. (plate thickness
15 mm.
Welded other side: 12 mm leg length
fillet weld.
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
7 10
35 20

30
15
All fillet weld leg lengths 10 mm

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

15
z10 a 7
35
131 / 111
15
z10 All fillet weld leg lengths 10 mm
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553 Fillet Weld Ex
1. Welded arrow side: A

continuous fillet weld with a
6 mm leg length , toes to be
blended smoothly. 6 3 x 25 (40)
6 3 x 25 (40)
25 40 25 40 25
2. Welded both sides: Three

intermittent fillet welds with

6 mm leg lengths, the length
of each weld 25 mm and the
distance between each weld 25 40 25 40 25
40 mm.
ISO 2553 / BS EN 22553 Fillet Weld Ex
3. Welded arrow sides: Three
intermittent fillet welds with 10 mm 10 3 x 40 (30)
leg lengths, the length of each weld 6 (25)
3 x 50
40 mm, the distance between each
weld 30mm. 30 40 30 40 30 40
Welded other side: Three

intermittent fillet welds 6 mm leg
lengths, the length of each weld
50mm and the distance between
each weld 25mm, welds to be 50 25 50 25 50
staggered.
4. Welded arrow side: Three 8 3 x 25 (50)
intermittent fillet welds with 8 mm

leg lengths, the length of each weld 10 2 x 20 (40)
25 mm and the distance between
each weld 50 mm. 25 50 25 50 25
Welded other side: Two
intermittent fillet welds with 10 mm
leg lengths, the length of each weld
20 mm and the distance between
each weld 40mm, welds to be 40 20 40 20
staggered.
AWS A2.4 Welding Symbols

AWS Welding Symbols
Depth of Root Opening

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

Effective Groove Angle
Throat
AWS Welding Symbols
Welding Process
GSFCAW
1(1-1/8)
1/8
60o

GMAW
GTAW
SAW
AWS Welding Symbols
GSFCAW
1(1-1/8)
Applicable to any

single groove Single Bevel
weld
AWS Welding Symbols
Welds to be staggered
(so le = staggered)
3 – 10
SMAW
3 – 10
Process
3 3

10
AWS Welding Symbols
3rd Operation
Sequence of
Operations 2nd Operation
1st Operation
FCAW

1(1-1/8)
1/8
60o
AWS Welding Symbols
RT
Sequence of
Operations MT
MT
FCAW

1(1-1/8)
1/8
60o
AWS Welding Symbols
Dimensions- Leg Length
6 leg on member A
6/8

Member A
6
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
All linear dimensions are shown on the right of the symbol

i.e. number of welds, length of welds, length of any spaces
Included angle and root opening are shown on top of the
symbol
AWS A 2.4 rules-example
10 3 x 50 (70)
70

50
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

symbol i.e. number of welds, length of welds, length of
any spaces
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)

50
50
10
Fillet welds
Fillet weld dimensions according AWS A 2.4
8
8

5 leg on
5x8
vertical
member
5
8
Fillet welds
Fillet weld dimensions according BS EN 22553
z8
or
z8
8

a 5 (z 8)
or
a 5 (z 8)
5
8
Intermittent fillet welds
Chain intermittent fillet weld Symbol to BS EN 22553
pitch (e) length (l) a

z n×l(e) a n×l(e)
z n×l(e) a n×l(e)
or
Chain intermittent fillet weld
pitch (e) length (l)

z
z l-e

z l-e
Symbol to AWS A2.4

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

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

z l-e
Symbol to AWS A2.4
Example:
Produce a drawing giving symbols for the weld given as
shown below to the specification AWS A2.4
Weld Drawing

Symbol Drawing
Example:
Draw the symbols for the weld given as shown below
to the specification BS EN 22553
MMA
Weld drawing

111
Symbol Drawing
Student symbols exercise

Complete a symbols drawing for the welded joint
given below to AWS A2.4 & BS EN 22553
7
10
35 20

15 30
All fillet weld leg lengths are 10 mm

Solution AWS A2.4 10

30
20
10
10

35
15
10
z 10
Solution BS EN 22553
s 30
s 20
z 10
a 7 z 10

s 35
s 15
z 10
BS EN 22553 Welding Symbols
10 s10
13
10
15

Partial penetration single-V butt
‘S’ indicates the depth of penetration
Penetration depth

Welding Symbols
4mm
Weld Symbol on Drawing
1
Z4
4mm
141
Fillet weld made all round

with a 4mm leg lengths. The

welding process as indicated
is Gas Tungsten Arc Welding.
The weld symbol is made to
BS EN 22553
7mm
Welding Symbols
S10
135
2 S10 Double bevel partial penetration
weld broad root face to a depth
of 10mm each side, The weld
symbol is made to 22553. The
process to be used GMAW as
indicated in the fish tail.

10
11.75
31.75
10
Welding Symbols
3 Z4
136
Z5
A single Bevel Compound Weld made on the

other side. The fillet weld made to the arrow
side shows 4mm leg lengths, the fillet weld
made on the other side shows 5mm leg
lengths. The weld is to be made using the

Gas Shielded Flux Core Arc Welding
Process.
Welding Symbols
4
Z6
WPS
Z6
Fillet welds made to both sides of the

member with 6mm leg lengths, a concave
weld profile is placed on the other side and

a convex weld profile is placed on the
arrow side. The weld symbol makes
reference to a WPS which is shown in the
fish tail. The weld symbol is made to BS
EN 22553

Welding Symbol

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CSWIP 3.

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

•by symbolic representation

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

A method of transferring information from the

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

Advantages of symbolic representation:

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

The symbolic representation includes:

The elementary symbol may be completed by:

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

Weld type Sketch Symbol

Single-V butt weld

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Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

(BS EN ISO 22553 & AWS A2.4)

Fillet weld Double bevel Double J

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Weld all round

BS EN 22553 (ISO 2553)

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Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2009

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Welding to be carried out

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a = Design throat thickness

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Single-V Butt with Single-U Butt with

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Single-bevel butt Double-bevel butt

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Plug weld Square Butt weld

Resistance spot weld Steep flanked

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1. Welded arrow side: Single-V butt weld with

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3. Welded arrow side: Single-V butt weld

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Complete the symbol drawing for the welded cruciform joint

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All fillet weld leg lengths 10 mm

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1. Welded arrow side: A

2. Welded both sides: Three

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Welded other side: Three