1.11: Process and Method

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Type	Process	Designation
Arc Welding
	Shielded Metal Arc Welding	SMAW
	Gas Tungsten Arc Welding	GTAW
	Gas Metal Arc Welding	GMAW
	Gas Metal Arc Welding Pulsed	GMAW-P
	Flux Cored Arc Welding Gas Shielded	FCAW-G
	Flux Cored Arc Welding Self Shielded	FCAW-S
	Submerged Arc Welding	SAW
	Plasma Arc Welding	PAW
	Electro slag Welding	ESW
	Electro gas Welding	EGW
Gas Welding
	Oxyacetylene Welding	OAW
Brazing
	Torch Brazing	TB
	Furnace Brazing	FB
	Induction Brazing	IB
Cutting
	Oxyacetylene Cutting	OFC-A
	Air Carbon Arc Cutting	CAC-A
	Plasma Arc Cutting	PAC
	Arc Cutting	AC
	Gas Metal Arc Cutting	GMAC
	Oxygen Cutting	OC
	Gas Tungsten Arc Cutting	GTAC

There are a lot of processes in the welding industry, in order to streamline the call out of these there are letter designations for them. This designation is a letter callout and it commonly follows the first letter of the process name. For example Flux Cored Arc Welding is FCAW.

When a process is specified it will be located in the tail of the welding symbol. This can be added to several other components on the welding symbol.

Method

The method by which the weld is applied may also be listed in the welding symbol. This will often be seen after a process with a hyphen. There are four different methods of applying a weld and the designation is the first two letters from the first word for the first three. Number Four comes from the first two letters of the hyphenated words. These methods vary depending on process and may not be applicable to all welding processes.

Automatic WeldingAU

Manual WeldingMA

Mechanized WeldingME

Semi-Automatic WeldingSA

The above image shows a Gas Tungsten Arc Weld process using a Manual method.

Also included in the tail could be a reference to a drawing number, a welding procedure (commonly called out as WP,) filler material, or any other pertinent information that may need to be communicated to the welder or fitter.

Examples of this information:

Drawing Number 5DWG5

Welding Procedure 6WP-6

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding – Manual ER70-s FillerGTAW-MA

ER70-s