Fabrication Shop Drawing Checklist

A practical checklist for reviewing fabrication and shop drawings against Australian Standards — covering AS 1100, AS 4100, and AS/NZS 1554. Download free below.

Last reviewed: May 2026

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What this checklist covers

Fabrication shop drawings are the primary document that a steel fabricator, sheet metal shop, or mechanical fabricator uses to manufacture a part or structure. A drawing that passes engineering review but fails fabrication quality checks causes costly rework, delays, and in structural applications can create safety risks. This checklist is designed for use by Australian engineers, project managers, and draughting supervisors conducting a final quality review of fabrication drawings before issue for manufacture.

The checklist covers the requirements of AS 1100.101 (general drawing principles), AS 1100.201 (mechanical engineering drawing), AS 1100.501 (structural engineering drawing), AS 4100 (steel structures), and AS/NZS 1554.1 (structural steel welding).

Fabrication shop drawing checklist — download

Fabrication Shop Drawing Checklist

Key checks for Australian fabrication drawings

Title block and drawing administration

Drawing number, revision letter, and revision date present and current
Drawing title accurately describes the part or assembly
Scale stated on each view — “NTS” (Not To Scale) only used where unavoidable and clearly marked
Projection symbol shown (third-angle per AS 1100.201 for Australian drawings)
Sheet size per AS 1100.101 (A0, A1, A2, A3, A4)
Drafter name, checker name, and approver name with dates
Client name and project number (for contracted work)
Revision history table with description of each change

Material specification

Material grade and Australian Standard called out for every part — e.g. “AS/NZS 3678 Grade 350” not just “350 grade steel”
Material grade consistent between the drawing, the BOM, and any associated specification
Special material requirements noted — impact testing grade (L0, L15), weathering steel, stainless grade
Surface treatment and coating specified — hot-dip galvanising to AS/NZS 4680, paint system to AS/NZS 2312, or blast cleaning grade to AS 1627
For aluminium: alloy and temper per AS/NZS 1734 (e.g. 5083-H321, 6061-T6)

Dimensioning and tolerances

All dimensions in millimetres — no mixing of units on the same drawing
Every feature fully dimensioned — no implied or “measure from drawing” dimensions
Overall length, width, and height of each fabricated item present on the main view
Dimension chains closed — no open chains that leave a gap dimension undefined
Reference dimensions shown in parentheses: (150)
General tolerance note present — e.g. “Unless otherwise stated, all dimensions ±1.0mm per AS 1100.201”
GD&T feature control frames have datum reference letters that match datum symbols on the drawing
Hole diameters dimensioned in the view showing the hole as a circle

Weld symbols and welding requirements

Weld symbols comply with AS 1100.501 / AS 2812 conventions
Fillet weld size shown as a number in mm to the left of the weld symbol
Weld inspection category stated — SP (structural purpose) or GP (general purpose) per AS/NZS 1554.1
Full penetration butt welds identified — preparation type (V, double-V, J) specified
NDT requirements noted for critical welds — UT, MT, PT, RT as applicable
Preheat requirements noted for high-strength steels (Grade 350 and above over 25mm thick)
Post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) specified where required by the design standard or material grade
“Weld all around” symbol shown where applicable
Field weld flag shown for welds to be made on site rather than in the workshop

Holes and fasteners

Bolt hole diameters stated — standard clearance holes per AS 4100 are bolt diameter + 2mm (e.g. 18mm holes for M16 bolts)
Bolt grade specified on the drawing or in the general notes — 8.8/TB or 8.8/TF for structural connections per AS 4100
Countersunk holes: angle and diameter at the surface stated
Tapped holes: thread form, size, pitch, and depth stated (e.g. M12 × 1.75, 20mm deep)
Hole patterns dimensioned from a consistent datum — not chain-dimensioned from hole to hole for precision bolt patterns

Sheet metal specific checks

Material gauge/thickness stated and consistent with the material callout
Bend radius specified — inside bend radius, not outside
K-factor or bend allowance stated in the drawing notes or title block for flat pattern development
Bend relief cuts shown at internal corners where required to prevent tearing
Flat pattern view shown or flat pattern dimensions given for parts to be laser-cut or punched
Grain direction noted where material anisotropy affects forming (aluminium sheet, spring steel)

BOM and parts list

Every item in the assembly has a balloon callout referencing the BOM item number
BOM includes: item number, part number, description, material, quantity, mass (kg)
Standard hardware (bolts, nuts, washers) listed with full AS/ISO designation
Purchased items (bearings, seals, motors) listed with manufacturer part number
Total assembly mass stated

ASTCAD fabrication drawing services

ASTCAD produces fabrication drawings for Australian fabricators, engineers, and manufacturers across all structural, mechanical, and sheet metal disciplines. Our drawing packages are issued in AutoCAD DWG and PDF format and include all elements covered in this checklist as standard — title block, material callouts, weld symbols to AS/NZS 1554, dimensioning per AS 1100, and BOM.

We serve fabricators and engineers across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Gold Coast. Typical turnaround for a standard fabrication drawing package is 3–7 business days depending on complexity.

Frequently asked questions

What is a shop drawing and how is it different from a fabrication drawing?

The terms are often used interchangeably in Australian practice. Strictly speaking, a fabrication drawing is any drawing used for the manufacture of a part or structure — it can be a single-part detail drawing, an assembly, or a weld map. A shop drawing more specifically refers to a drawing produced by the fabricator (or a drafter on their behalf) from an engineer’s general arrangement drawing — it shows how the fabricator intends to make the item, including shop bolt summary, weld sequence, and individual member marks. In structural steel work, shop drawings are submitted to the structural engineer for approval before fabrication begins.

What Australian Standards apply to fabrication drawings?

The primary standards are AS 1100.101 (general drawing principles — line types, title blocks, sheet sizes), AS 1100.201 (mechanical engineering drawing — projection, dimensioning, GD&T), AS 1100.501 (structural engineering drawing — weld symbols, reinforcement notation, section callouts), AS 4100 (steel structures — member and connection design requirements that the drawing must document), and AS/NZS 1554.1 (structural steel welding — weld category, inspection requirements). For sheet metal drawings, AS/NZS 1734 covers aluminium alloy material grades.

How many revision rounds should a fabrication drawing set go through before issue for manufacture?

Best practice in Australian fabrication is to issue drawings at Revision A for structural engineer review, incorporate comments at Revision B, and issue for fabrication at Revision C (or IFC — Issued for Construction). Complex projects with multiple disciplines or significant RFIs may go to Revision D or E before IFC. Each revision should be clearly marked with a revision cloud on the affected area and a brief description in the revision history table. Drawings issued for fabrication without a clear IFC status and revision record are a major source of rework claims.

Can ASTCAD review and fix existing fabrication drawings before issue?

Yes. ASTCAD offers fabrication drawing review and correction as a standalone service. We check against AS 1100, AS 4100, and AS/NZS 1554 requirements, identify deficiencies (missing material callouts, incomplete weld symbols, open dimension chains, incorrect tolerances), and either produce a marked-up PDF for your drafter to correct or make the corrections directly in your DWG files. Contact us with your drawing set for a free scope assessment.

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