Welding drawing convention In fabrication drafting, are joints depicted as they appear before welding (i.e., showing root openings, bevels, and fit-up), with the weld itself indicated by standardized symbols rather than drawn as deposited metal?

Introduction / Context:
Welding drawings use standardized symbols and conventions so that fabricators, inspectors, and engineers share the same understanding. A frequent point of confusion is whether to sketch the weld metal itself or to show the joint as prepared before welding. This question tests knowledge of that basic drafting convention.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are discussing formal engineering welding drawings.
• Standards such as AWS A2.4 and ISO 2553 define symbol meanings.
• The focus is on how the joint and weld information are represented.

Concept / Approach:
In welding drafting, the lines of the base materials are drawn as they exist prior to deposition of weld metal. The actual weld requirements (type, size, length, pitch, contour, process notes) are conveyed through standardized welding symbols placed on a reference line with an arrow pointing to the joint to be welded. This keeps the geometry unambiguous and avoids clutter.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Review published examples in welding symbol standards; they consistently show pre-weld geometry with symbolic callouts rather than pictorial blobs of weld metal.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Only true for fillet weld details” is incorrect; it applies to all weld types. “Applies only to AWS, not ISO” is wrong since both families of standards follow the same principle. “Used only in shop sketches” is false; it is used in all formal drawings.

Common Pitfalls:
Drawing deposited weld beads directly, omitting essential symbol elements (size/length), and arrowing the wrong joint edge.

Final Answer:
Correct