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2.3 Abbreviations

  • Page ID
    26780
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    Abbreviations are commonly used to help simplify a drawing and conserve space. Although many fields share common abbreviation conventions, there are also field- or trades-specific conventions that you will see as you become more specialized. Here is a common list of abbreviations that are used on drawings. Each trade will have specific abbreviations from this list, and therefore a set of drawings will usually include an abbreviation key.

    AB anchor bolt HLS holes REF reference
    ABT about HSS hollow structural steel REQ'D required
    AUX auxiliary ID inside diameter REV revision
    BC bolt circle IN inches RF raised face
    BBE bevel both ends INT internal RH right hand
    BCD bolt circle diameter ISO International Standards Organization SCH schedule
    BOE bevel one end KP kick plate SI International System of Units
    BE both ends LH left hand SPECS specifications
    BL baseline LAT lateral SQ square
    BM benchmark LR long radius SM seam
    Btm bottom LG long SMLS seamless
    BP base plate MB machine bolt S/S seam to seam
    B/P blueprint MS mild steel SO slip on
    BLD blind MIN minimum SEC section
    C/C center to center MAX maximum STD standard
    COL column MAT'L material SS stainless steel
    CPLG coupling MISC miscellaneous SYM symmetrical
    CS carbon steel NC national course T top
    C/W complete with NF national fine T&B top and bottom
    CYL cylinder NO number T&C threaded and coupled
    DIA diameter NOM nominal THD threaded
    DIAG diagonal NTS not to scale TBE threaded both ends
    DIM dimension NPS nominal pipe size TOE threaded one end
    DWG drawing NPT national pipe thread THK thick
    EA each O/C on center TOL tolerance
    EL elevation OA overall TOC top of concrete
    EXT external OD outside diameter TOS top of steel
    F/F face to face OR outside radius TYP typical
    FF flat face OPP opposite U/N unless noted
    FLG flange PAT pattern VERT vertical
    FW fillet weld PBE plain both ends WD working drawing
    Ga gauge POE plain one end WP working point
    Galv galvanized PSI pounds per square inch WT weight
    HVY heavy PROJ project W/O without
    HH hex head RD running dimension XH extra heavy
    HR hot rolled R or RAD radius XS extra strong
    HT heat treatment RND round    

     


    2.3 Abbreviations is shared under a CC BY license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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