To the best of my knowledge, there is no D1.1 criteria for the squareness of headed studs, either after fitting or welding. These are being hand welded, but the question would also apply to using automatically timed equipment (stud gun). It just seems to be a bigger problem when they’re being manually welded. I know they’re embedded, so it’s not as important with them being square as say, a shear tab, but I’m seeing studs being tacked in place that are seriously tilted. Obviously, we’re not going to fit them using a framing square, but I would think they’d need to be reasonably close to being 90 degrees off the face of the embed plate. But I can’t find any code criteria related to their squareness. I would think that if they’re not reasonably square, this would not meet their intended purpose, especially a vertical embed in the wall, where a beam will be field welded to it. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s been faced with this, so any thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Is your concern with the shear connector or the embed plate?
If the shear connector is off by 10 or 15 degrees, I don't see where that would have a serious effect on the strength of the integrity of the embed plate. Generally, the load on the plate is in shear, so the cross section of the shear connector is the major factor in the "strength" of the embed. If the load is in tension, the depth of the embed is the major factor, but again, the depth of the embedment of the shear connector isn't seriously impacted until the dihedral angle is less than 75 degrees. Even at 75 degrees, the depth of the embedment is 97% of the stud's length. At 60 degrees the embedment is 87% of the stud length.
Al
The shear connector being out of square was my concern. Thanks for your thoughts. Evidently, if the code committee thought it could be an issue, they would have included some sort of tolerance.
You would hope they would, but........
Al
The only mention the code has in reference is to bent studs. If the customer wants them straightened, code says it must be done cold, otherwise they can be left in the position where they were bent while testing.
Edit: Clause 7.8.3
By SWN1158 
Date 11-13-2019 16:41
Edited 11-13-2019 16:43
Funny thing is, they say I complain about "leaning" studs, but then I do a bend test on the ones that have been shot, and then leave them as is :)
Well this was a fun jaunt through the Big Red Book.
Stud weld quality:::
7.4.7 Acceptance Criteria …"The
fillet weld profiles shown in Figure 5.4 shall not apply to
the flash of automatically timed stud welds."
Meaning we are inspecting fillet welds if done by SMAW.
Table 5.4 only gives bead profiles right ?
But Table 3.5 defines what a fillet weld actually can be. See Note (d) regarding Perpendicularity
Note "d" states "Perpendicularity of the members shall be within ±10°.
So if perpendicularity is greater than 10 degrees it is no longer a fillet weld in a T-joint, it has become a skewed T-joint and … well,,, I'm not sure what we call the weld... but the joint is defined in Figure 3.4
Now that was a long walk for I'm not sure what... The studs are going to be tested regularly so we know the weldment/joint is sound..... But that assumes a compliant fit-up unless tested as a skew..... Terms terms terms.
If it matters for construction purposes, fitting to other things etc. Maybe you can hang your hat on that.... But I also expect the whaling and gnashing of teeth would be pretty intense.
excellent !!!!
Edit:
I just scaled out a 10° tilt on a 6 3/16 long stud. It turns out that in this example, the stud ends up being 1 1/8" out of square. I feel better now :) Thanks Lawrence
Also there is the fit up clauses regarding hand welded studs, so read about the finish of the end that fits against the beam flange...ie remove or flatten the flux ball. I'm not close to a D1.1 at the moment or I would include the reference.
Edit: 7.5.5.3
Lawrence mentioned weld profiles in 5.4, but then you also have Visual Inspection 7.5.5.7 which sends you over to 6.9 which sends you to Table 6.1 or Table 9.16.<---not really dealing with a leaning or tilt issue though
