what does this symbol mean?
AWS A2.4 An upright and a slanted line meeting at a reference line, the upright on the left

Bevel groove weld

An upright and a slanted line on the reference line: a bevel groove weld, where only one member's edge is beveled.

This explains what a symbol specifies on a drawing. It isn't welding instruction, and a drawing's own notes and the governing code take precedence.

How to read it

In a bevel groove weld, one member's edge is prepared at an angle. The bevel angle is the angle between that prepared edge and a plane perpendicular to the surface of the member.

Because only one edge is beveled, the welding symbol has to show which member it is: the arrow points with a definite break toward the member to be beveled. The symbol's vertical leg is drawn on the left, as it is for the fillet and J-groove symbols.

Differences by country or standard

The international system has the same rule. Under India's IS 813:1986, which draws on ISO 2553, the arrow line for a single-bevel butt weld points toward the plate that is prepared.

More welding symbols

Sources

  • Steelworker, Volume 1, NAVEDTRA 14250, 1996, Naval Education and Training Professional Development and Technology Center, U.S. Navy (Internet Archive), Chapter 3, Drawings and specifications
  • Welding Theory and Application, TM 9-237, 1967, Department of the Army (Internet Archive), Glossary
  • Scheme of symbols for welding, IS 813:1986, Bureau of Indian Standards (Internet Archive, Public.Resource.Org), Table 1; section 5.3

Last reviewed September 25, 2026 by Rory Hansen. How we research

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