Weld mapping with WeldTrace

Weld Mapping

WeldTrace's weld mapping tool will let you annotate on a drawing and produce a pictorial weld map as well as create welds in one process. Even though this step is optional, marking up or annotating a drawing to show the exact location of a weld is important for traceability.

Weld mapping is the process of assigning information to a weld joint for the purposes of production as well as traceability. A pictorial weld map should show the location of the weld on the fabrication drawing. 

Step 1 - Open the weld mapping interface

Info icons

Open the Drawings list page. The annotation tool is a button in the info column of the drawings list. The button is shown only if a drawing has been uploaded. Click the draw icon to open the weld mapping interface. The eye icon is to view the weld map and to navigate to the welds.

Step 2 - Weld mapping interface

Weld mapping

The weld mapping interface with a set of annotations is shown in the screenshot above. Follow these steps to make annotations and create a weld map:
  1. Select "Weld" to create welds. When you save the weld map you will be able to see the list of welds that will be created; 
  2. Select "Note" to create notes. When you save the weld map, the annotations that are marked as notes will not result in welds being created;
  3. Use the "Pen" button to draw;
  4. When you need to make a series of annotations with the numbers following the previous annotation in a sequence, click on the “#” button in the annotation tool bar. This will change the button to green.  Make the first annotation and enter the weld number.  The next annotation will have the last number or alphabet incremented by one.  The colour, shape and size of the bubbles in the sequence will be maintained.  You will be able to change the sequence mid-way through or edit the text in the bubble;
  5. Click on the finger button and then click on a bubble to edit it. The "X" button is to delete an annotation (use the finger button to select an annotation first and then use the X button to delete it). Use the star button and draw a rectangle to select a group of annotations and move them; 
  6. Use the + and - buttons to zoom in and out. You should use the horizontal and vertical scroll bars to move the drawing canvas;
  7. Three shapes (rectangle, circle and hexagon) are available. When you edit an annotation and click on a different shape, the shape of the annotation will be changed;
  8. Use the color palette to select a colour for the annotations;
  9. Select the joint type (available only when you are creating welds). These are the full form of the abbreviations used in the tool bar:
    1. BW - Butt Weld;
    2. FW – Fillet Weld;
    3. PW – Plug Weld;
    4. SW – Socket Weld;
    5. STUD – Stud Weld;
    6. RSW – Resistance Spot Weld;
    7. OL – Overlay weld;
    8. HW – HDPE Fusion Weld;
    9. EF – HDPE Electro-Fusion Weld;
    10. EW – Extrusion Weld (HDPE);
  10. Category:
    1. SP - Shop;
    2. FLD - Field;
    3. FF - Field Fit;
  11. Size: Enter a number for the weld size in inches or mm. You can select a date for the planned date (not visible in this screenshot);
  12. Weld map annotation showing a weld number within the bubble. When a weld is selected using the edit button, the tool bar selections will show weld's properties with a tick mark;
  13. Click on the save button to save all the annotations and proceed to creating the welds. The undo button will reset the selection; 
  14. The drawing number and the revision number are shown here for reference;
  15. Use the left and right arrows to move through the pages (maximum 5 pages are allowed per drawing);
  16. Click here to go full screen and click on the esc key to go back to the normal view;

Step 3 - Create Welds

Create welds from weld map
The table with the list of welds that will be created from the weld map is shown in the screenshot above. 
  1. This window will pop up after you save the weld map and show the number of welds that will be created;
  2. The first column shows the weld number;
  3. The second column shows the tag number. In this example, the drawing is in two tags. So, two welds will be created for each annotation;
  4. This column shows the drawing number and the revision. Weld number has to be unique for the tag & drawing-rev combination;
  5. The next 3 columns show the joint type, category and the size;
  6. Planned date is the date the annotations are made;
  7. You may click on "X" to remove a weld;
  8. Click here to save. All the welds in the table will be created;
You will not be able to edit and make any changes in this table. You may edit the weld details in the weld log after you save and close this window.
You can generate high quality PDF files of the weld maps through the render & print function. You can also navigate to the welds created through this method by viewing the weld map. Please check out the next article on this subject.
    Read the next article: View Weld Map

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