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Understanding Welding Symbols

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Understanding Welding Symbols is designed to teach students how to quickly identify integral components of a shop drawing and interpret welding symbols for industry applications including fabrication, welding, and inspection.

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At a Glance

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Price

Member: $359
Non-member: $479
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Materials Access

60 days

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Length & PDH / CEU

Approximately 10 hours
10 PDHs / 1.0 CEU

Course Details

  • Who Should Take This Course
  • Prerequisites
  • Objectives
  • Student Learning Outcomes
  • Course Modules
  • Anyone involved in the design, fabrication, or inspection of welded, brazed, or soldered joints
  • Anyone wishing to learn how to decipher welding symbols and prints
  • Anyone seeking to prepare for the AWS Certified Welding Inspector exam
  • Anyone seeking to prepare for the AWS Certified Welding Inspector exam
    • This student body may encompass many positions, including:
      • Welders
      • Welding engineers
      • Welding inspectors
      • Welding sales reps
      • Welding supervisors
      • Shop owners

Prior to taking this course, students should be familiar with basic welding processes and welding terminology. This prerequisite knowledge can be obtained by: 

  • Taking the AWS Welding Fundamentals I online course 
  • Obtaining and reading a copy of AWS A3.0 Standard Terms and Definitions 

 

This course teaches students how to:

  • Identify basic components of a welding print
  • Differentiate between different joint and weld types
  • Read and construct welding, brazing, and nondestructive examination symbols

Upon completion of Understanding Welding Symbols, students will be able to:

  • Discuss the basic elements and fundamental principles of object representation
  • Distinguish between the different lines used on a welding print
  • Indicate key elements of a welding drawing
  • Identify common joint types and edge preparations
  • Correlate welds with basic joint types
  • Distinguish between the different types of welds and their respective symbols
  • Label parts of a weld
  • Identify the location of a weld with respect to the joint using the elements included on a print
  • Construct a welding symbol in order to demonstrate an understanding of print interpretation
  • Analyze a welding symbol to determine the characteristics and dimensions for a requested weld
  • Explain the rules governing the use of the arrow, reference line, supplementary symbols, and combined welding symbols
  • Describe the function and appropriate placement of supplementary data within a welding symbol
  • Describe a required braze by deciphering the parameters detailed within a brazing symbol
  • Determine the NDT method to be used by analyzing a nondestructive examination symbol
  • Analyze a combined welding and nondestructive examination symbol
  • Module 1 – Fundamentals of Object Representation
  • Module 2 – Lines and Welded Joints
  • Module 3 – Basics of Weld Types and Weld Symbols I
  • Module 4 – Basics of Weld Types and Weld Symbols II
  • Module 5 – Reading Welding Symbols I – Basic Parts of a Welding Symbol, Weld Location, and Symbol Orientation
  • Module 6 – Reading Welding Symbols II– Arrows, Reference Lines, and Supplementary Data
  • Module 7 – Reading Welding Symbols III – Extent of Welding
  • Module 8 – Reading Welding Symbols IV–Tail, Contour Symbols, and Melt-Through Symbol
  • Module 9 – Groove Welds I – Groove, Groove Welds, and Arrows
  • Module 10 – Groove Welds II– Depth of Groove and Size of Weld Dimensions
  • Module 11 – Groove Welds III – Special Case Dimensions and Root Opening
  • Module 12 – Groove Welds IV– Groove Angle, Groove Radius, and Weld Length
  • Module 13 – Groove Welds V– Intermittent Welds and Weld Contours
  • Module 14 – Groove Welds VI – Back and Backing Welds
  • Module 15 – Groove Welds VII– Backing, Spacers, and Consumable Inserts
  • Module 16 – Groove Welds VIII– Backgouging, Seal Welds, and Skewed Joints
  • Module 17 – Fillet Welds I: Anatomy of a Fillet Weld, Fillet Weld Size, Dimension lines, and Notes in the Tail
  • Module 18 – Fillet Welds II: Double Fillet Welds, Notes on a Print, Fillet Weld Length, Hatching Lines, and Changes in the Direction of Welding
  • Module 19 – Fillet Welds III: Fillet weld length and intermittent fillet welds
  • Module 20 – Fillet Welds IV: Weld Contours, Combined Weld Symbols, and Skewed Joints
  • Module 21 – Plug and Slot Welds I: Plug Weld Size, Slot Weld Width, and Slot Weld Length
  • Module 22 – Plug and Slot Welds II: Angle of Countersink, Depth of Filling, and Number of Welds
  • Module 23 – Plug and Slot Welds III: Pitch, Centerlines, and Joints with Three or More Members
  • Module 24 – Spot and Projection Welds I: Size and Strength, Number of Welds, and Pitch
  • Module 25 – Spot and Projection Welds II: Weld Process Reference, Grouped Spot Welds, and Multiple Member Spot Welds
  • Module 26 – Stud Welds
  • Module 27 – Seam Welds I: Size, Strength, Welding Process Reference, and Length
  • Module 28 – Seam Welds II: Intermittent Seam Welds, Number of welds, Contours, and Multiple Member Seam Welds
  • Module 29 – Surfacing Welds
  • Module 30 – Edge Welds I: Size, Length, Double Edge Welds, and Change in Direction
  • Module 31 – Edge Welds II: Chain Intermittent Edge Welds and Staggered Intermittent Edge Welds
  • Module 32 – Edge Welds III: Extent, Location, Joints with Three or More Members, and Combined Weld Symbols
  • Module 33 – Brazing Symbols
  • Module 34 – Nondestructive Examination Symbols I: Letter Designations, Side Significance, Multiple Tests, Combined Symbols, and Supplementary Symbols
  • Module 35 – Nondestructive Testing Symbols II: Specifying Location and Extent of Examination

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the AWS Welding Symbols online course and who should take it?
    The AWS Welding Symbols course is a self-paced online course that teaches how to read, interpret, and apply the standard welding symbols used on engineering drawings and blueprints. It covers arrow-side and other-side designations, weld type symbols, supplementary symbols, and finish symbols in accordance with AWS A2.4 standards. It is ideal for welders, fabricators, inspectors, engineers, and drafters who work with welding drawings on a daily basis.
  • Does this course help prepare for the CWI exam?
    Yes. Reading and interpreting welding symbols is a core skill tested on the CWI Practical Exam (Part C). This course provides structured preparation for that section and strengthens an inspector's ability to verify that welds are made in accordance with engineering drawing requirements in real-world applications.
  • How long do I have to complete the course and what do I earn?
    Participants receive 30 days of access from the date of registration, with an additional 10 days to complete the final exam. Those who score 75% or higher earn an AWS Certificate of Completion and Professional Development Hours (PDHs) applicable toward CWI certification and recertification requirements.
  • Do I need prior welding experience to take this course?
    Basic familiarity with welding processes and joint types is helpful but not required. The course starts from the fundamentals of symbol notation and builds progressively, making it accessible to anyone who regularly reads engineering drawings or is beginning their journey toward welding inspection.
  • Can the PDHs earned count toward AWS recertification?
    Yes. PDHs earned through AWS self-paced online courses can be applied toward AWS recertification requirements provided they are earned during the active certification period. The total PDHs awarded will depend on the specific course content — check the course page for the exact amount upon completion.

Comprehensive support for your welding education journey

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Comprehensive support for your welding education journey

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