New wording has been added to AWS D1.1, Structural Welding Code - Steel, that addresses "original equipment manufac- turers" (OEMs). Why was this done and what does this mean?

The section to which you refer is 1.3.4, which states: "'OEM' shall be defined as the single Contractor that assumes some or all of the responsibilities assigned by this code to the Engineer." Historically, D1.1 has outlined the responsibilities of the parties involved with the typical building construction process: the Engineer, who acts on behalf of the owner; the Contractor, the entity that performs the welding; and the various types of Inspectors. In the typical building construction process, the Engineer and the Contractor are separate entities.

Thus, code responsibilities assigned to the Engineer are intended to be executed by a different party than the one doing the fabrication. Many users of the D1.1 Code do not fit into this traditional building construction pattern. For example, the purchaser (owner) of a piece of construction equipment may require the product be built to D1.1. The manufacturer of this equipment may have a whole staff of engineers, but in D1.1 terms, these " ... more.

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