Welding Symbol and Weld Joint Design

OBJECTIVES
1. Describe the various welding processes.
2. Draw the common welding symbols.
3. Dimension a welding drawing using standard ANSI welding
notation.
4. Identify and draw a fillet weld, groove weld, back weld, spot
weld,
seam weld, projection weld, and flash weld.
5. Describe the use of welding symbols in CAD drawings.

Welding
Welding is widely used in fabricating machine parts or other structures that
formerly would have been formed by casting or forging. Structural steel frames for
buildings, ships, and
other structures are often welded.

Welding symbols on a mechanical drawing provide precise instructions for the

welder. The weld type and the location of each weld must be clearly defined
using standardized symbols. CAD libraries of welding symbols can simplify the
drawing process. Welding
templates can speed the process of drawing by hand.

Welding Processes
Arc welding (SMAW, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, GMAW Gas Metal Arc Welding)
Resistance welding (RSW, Resistance Spot Welding)
Gas welding (OFW, Oxy Fuel Welding)

RSW

GMAW

OFW
An automobile frame is welded on a robotic
automobile assembly line. (Courtesy of Vladimir
Pcholkin/Stone/Getty images.)

UNDERSTANDING A WELDING SYMBOL

A welding symbol added to the drawing has many different features that
specify
each detail of the weld. The items that can be specified are:
Type of weld
Process
Depth of bevel, size, or strength
for
some weld types
Groove weld size
Groove angle
Root opening
Length of weld
Number and pitch (center to
center
spacing) of welds
Whether the weld is to be field
welded (done on site)
All-around indicator
Which side of the material is to be
welded

WELDED JOINTS

Butt joint

A number of different types of welds are

applicable to each type of joint, depending on
the thickness of metal, the strength of joint
required, and other considerations.

Lap joint
T-joint

Edge joint
Corner joint

Basic Welds and Symbols

WELDING SYMBOLS
The basic element of the symbol is the bent arrow The arrow points to
the joint where the weld is to be made Attached to the reference line, or
shank, of the arrow is the weld symbol for the desired weld.

The weld symbol is placed below the reference line if the weld
is to be on the arrow side of the joint, or above the reference
line if the weld is to be on the other side of the joint. If the
weld is to be on both the arrow side and the other side of the
joint, weld symbols are placed on both sides of the reference
line.

Supplementary Symbols

Fully penetrate

End the weld at the

starting point, or ALL
THE WAY AROUND

A back strap or
backing plate is
placed onto the back
of the joint
Final contour should be
Consumable insert is
flush (possibly by
melted into the final
grinding or machining)
weldment

Weld at the final

construction site (Not in
the shop)

Final contour should be

concave (possibly by grinding
or machining)
Final contour should
be Convex (possibly
by grinding or
machining)

The Welding Symbol Tail

Reference to a specification, process, or other supplementary
information is indicated by any desired symbol in the tail of the
arrow. Otherwise, a general note may be placed in the tail. If no
reference is indicated in the symbol, the tail may be omitted.

UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED,

MAKE ALL WELDS PER
SPECIFICATION NO.XXX

Resistance Spot Weld and an Electron Beam Weld

are called out in the Tail of the Welding Symbols.

FILLET WELDS
The size of the weld is the length of one leg, For fillet welds on both
sides of a joint, the dimensions should be indicated on both sides of the
reference line, whether the dimensions are identical or different.

.5 Leg lengths

Dimensioning of Fillet Welds

Fillet Weld Length and Pitch

TWO inch length of weld, with a FIVE

inch
pitch (center-to-center). The .25
represents the weld leg length.

THREE inch length of weld, with a

TEN inch pitch (center-to-center).
The .25 represents the weld leg
length.

Surface Contour and Fillet Welds

Fillet weld
with a Flush
Finish

Fillet weld
with a Flush
Finish by
Grinding

KEY:
C= chipping
G = grinding
M=
machining
R = rolling
H=
hammering

Fillet weld
with a Flush
Finish by
Machining

Fillet weld
with a Flush
Finish by
Chipping

Fillet weld
with a
Convex Finish
by Machining

GROOVE WELDS
Symbols and their Result

BACK OR BACKING WELDS

A back or backing symbol opposite the groove weld symbol indicates
bead-type welds used as back or backing welds on single-groove
welds.

Back or Backing Weld Symbols

SURFACE WELDS
The surface weld symbol indicates a surface to be built up with single- or
multiple-pass bead type welds. Because this symbol does not indicate a welded
joint, there is no
arrow-side or other-side significance, so the symbol is always drawn below the
reference line. Indicate the minimum height of the weld deposit at the left of the
weld symbol, except where no specific height is required. When a specific area of
a surface is to be built up, give the dimensions of the area on the drawing.
Surfacing (or Hardfacing)
A Plow Blade

PLUG AND SLOT WELDS

The same symbol is
used for plug welds
and slot welds.
If it is in the arrowside member, place
the
weld symbol below
the reference line
If it is in the otherside member, place
the weld symbol
above the line
A plug weld is understood
to fill the depth of the hole
unless
its depth is indicated inside
the weld symbol

SPOT WELDS
The size of a spot weld is its diameter. If you need to indicate the
minimum acceptable shear strength in pounds per spot, instead of the size
of the weld, place this value at the left of the weld symbol. The pitch
would be placed to the right of the weld symbol if needed .

SEAM WELDS
The seam weld symbol, with the welding process indicated in the tail, The size
of the seam weld is its width. Show this value at the left of the weld symbol, on
either side of the reference line. If you need to indicate the minimum acceptable
shear strength in pounds per linear inch, instead of the size of the weld, place
this value at the left of the weld symbol, and show the length of a seam weld at
the right of the weld symbol

PROJECTION WELDS

In projection welding,
one member is
embossed in
preparation for the
weld.

Projection welds are

dimensioned by either
size or strength. The
size is the diameter of
the weld.

FLASH AND UPSET WELDS

Flash and upset
weld symbols have
no arrow-side or
other-side
significance, but
the supplementary
symbols do.

Note that the process reference for

flash welding (FW) or upset
welding (UW) must be placed in
the tail of the symbol.

WELD SYMBOLS FROM CAD

Most CAD systems provide a way to quickly generate weld
symbols to place in your drawing.

SolidWorks Weld Symbol Dialog Box

Weld Geometry

Fusion Weld Zone

Characteristics of a typical fusion weld zone in oxyfuel gas and arc welding.

Grain Structure in Shallow and Deep Welds

(a)

(b)

Figure- Grain structure in (a) a deep weld (b) a shallow weld.

Note that the grains in the solidified weld metal are perpendicular to
the surface of the base metal.
In a good weld, the solidification line at the center in the deep weld
shown in (a) has grain migration, which develops uniform strength in
the weld bead.

Weld Beads
(a)

(b)

Figure- (a) Weld bead (on a cold-rolled nickel strip) produced by a laser
beam. (b) Micro-hardness profile across the weld bead.
Note the lower hardness of the weld bead compared to the base metal.

Regions in a Fusion Weld Zone

Schematic illustration of various regions in a fusion weld zone (and

the corresponding phase diagram) for 0.30% carbon steel.

Thank You !!