The American Welding Society offers more than 200 welding standards used worldwide in countless industries. AWS standards are trusted and mandated because they are created by committees of volunteer welding professions under the authority of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

The consensus process for drafting and revising AWS standards requires that standards committees have a balanced membership representing equipment manufacturers, end-users, consultants, and researchers.

The result has been a vast library of standards that have been proven to provide high-quality outcomes with requirements that make sense in the real world.

An example is AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code – Steel. Originally published in 1928, and revised throughout 22 editions.  Entire cities of skyscrapers have been welded and inspected in accordance with this code. Other standards in the "D1" series cover aluminum, titanium, sheet steel, reinforcing steel, and stainless steel, as well as areas such as bridge welding, structural strengthening and repair, and seismic structures.

The latest edition of AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code – Steel is available in Chinese.

For manufacturing and other industries, other AWS standards are widely recognized and favored for emphasizing high quality without detracting from productivity.

In addition to welding, AWS standards other processes such as cutting, brazing, plastics, surfacing, and thermal spraying.

Beyond standards, AWS also publishes reference books such as the Welding Handbooks and numerous other publications related to processes, applications, and operations.

AWS standards and books can be purchased online at pubs.aws.org.