Welding Codes and How They Are Used

Almost all design, welding, fabrication, material, repair, testing, and inspection requirements are covered under three main governing organizations. Even the Department of Defense (DOD) has either adopted many of these codes, or used them as a basis to develop their own codes known as Mil-Specs. These codes are recognized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

The following list of codes just barely "scratches the surface" of all existing codes and code organizations. These are the most common codes being used, but there are many others. Many complex jobs fall under multiple codes.

These main organizations are the American Welding Society (AWS), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and the American Petroleum Institute (API). All of these organizations have multiple specific codes for various types of construction, processes, and/or materials. Design specifications and approved materials are included in these codes.

What I am about to list is only the major codes from these organizations that control metal construction with a brief overview and is not a comprehensive list of every single code that these organizations have available.

This information is taken from the latest codes that are available to me and not necessarily the latest editions of these codes.

Think you just landed a contract that doesn't fall under a code? Think again-and read on!