Direct Answer
A superseded drawing is any version of a drawing that has been replaced by a newer revision. Superseded drawings must be immediately removed from active use, clearly marked 'SUPERSEDED' or 'VOID,' and filed separately from the current drawing set. The shop floor should only ever have access to the current approved revision of each drawing.
Full Explanation
Superseded drawing control is a critical QC function. When a revised drawing is issued, the previous revision must be retrieved from all locations where it may exist: the shop floor copy, the production control file, the CNC programming station, and any digital files on shop computers. In a digital environment, access control (restricting the production team to the 'Current Approved' folder) is more effective than physical retrieval. Print-date stamps on hard copies help identify stale prints on the shop floor.
What This Means for Your Shop
Fabricating from a superseded drawing is one of the most expensive errors in steel fabrication. The member is wrong, may not be recognizable as wrong until erection, and the cost of field modification or replacement falls on you if you cannot prove the error was the engineer's.
Common Mistakes
Printing multiple copies of a drawing 'for convenience' and failing to retrieve all copies when a revision is issued. One copy left on a welder's bench can cause a significant error.
Recommended Process
Issue only one controlled copy of each drawing per workstation. Number each copy. When a revision is issued, physically collect and destroy all copies of the previous revision (or stamp VOID) before issuing the new revision. Log the collection in your QC records.