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Up Topic American Welding Society Services / AWS Learning & Education / Weld symbols/Welding symbols
- - By MoltenMetal Date 11-11-2011 16:37
I am a welding student at Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon Washington.   The other day in class we had a discussion about welding symbols.  The debate was this: does a Slot Weld welding symbol always have a tail?  Our text says that yes it will always have one.  Our instructor said that that may not always be the case.  Can anyone help shed some light on this?

On a side note the text we are using is in its first eddition and seams to be full of mistakes and contradictions.
Parent - - By Lawrence (*****) Date 11-11-2011 17:24 Edited 11-11-2011 17:34
Welcome to the forum Molten

Here is the deal

Slot and Plug welds are very similar when it comes to symbols.

Plug welds carry their necessary information (for the most part) entirely on the weld symbol.

Slot welds carry some information on the symbol and the balence of their information is contained in supplimentary notes. The identification of those notes or "details" are commonly put in the tail of the slot weld symbol.  Details that are found in these notes include width and length of the slot... Those demensions will not be carried on the symbol.

So it would be uncommon for a slot weld symbol not to have a tail.

Edit:
As far as text books go....  It's always going to be a problem because most textbooks use copies of real world prints as part of the lessons..  Those real world prints often have errors, contradictions or are missing information..  Some books are better than others (I have read them all), but none of them are error free.

You will find when you get out in the real world that "interpretation" becomes important.  Local detailers or supervisors may provide "in house" instruction and meanings for plans that may not be perfectly in line with AWS or ISO symbols... Usually it's ok as long as the job gets done within spec.  The problem comes when the new guy arrives, or plans are shared outside of the company like with a subcontractor... Then fireworks and headaches begin.
Parent - - By MoltenMetal Date 11-11-2011 18:09
Thank you for the quick reply.  We are studying AWS symbology.  I am not surprised by your answer to my question.  Real world errors by engineers and or draftsman seem to happen in almost every field.  I guess you could call it the human equation.
Parent - - By aevald (*****) Date 11-11-2011 21:25
Hello MoltenMetal, Lawrence has given you a very concise answer regarding your question. As well, your instructor has provided you with a general statement that is also very applicable to the "real world" applications of welding symbols. I believe your instructor might be trying to prepare you for the sometimes harsh realities of working in shops and other areas where they are in is such a hurry to get something out the door that protocol often goes out the window. Simply stated, they don't want to take the time to detail everything out in a manner which is really the correct way to do it...... and the correct way is sometimes even up for interpretation. Someday you may be able to pick any geographical position on a map of the world and when you get there and receive a print it will contain exactly all of the information that you need to see and are used to seeing. How is your instructor doing these days?, I may have seen him just last week, that is, if you are speaking of Dan. Best regards, Allan
Parent - - By MoltenMetal Date 11-12-2011 03:18
Dan is in charge of the entire welding department these days.  We don't see him very often but he does visit class on occation.  Mike Baker is our main instructor.  Thanks for the input.
Parent - By 803056 (*****) Date 11-14-2011 16:04
Consider the two sketches attached.

The left sketch is a top or plan view. It provides the user with all the information required to properly locate and orient the slot welds in the part.

The right sketch is a front view. Only limited information is provided by the welding symbol. Additional information such as the length of the slot and the orientation of the slot must be provided by a separate detail, thus a tail is used to direct the user to the appropriate detail.

Depending on the view used to present the information, the need for a separate detail may or may not be required.

Best regards - Al
Up Topic American Welding Society Services / AWS Learning & Education / Weld symbols/Welding symbols

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