Direct Answer
A shop drawing title block contains: project name and address, the fabricator's name, the detailing firm's name, drawing number, sheet title, revision history (revision number, date, description, initials), scale, date, and the drawing's approval status. The title block is the identification record for the drawing — it establishes what the drawing is, who made it, and what version it is.
Full Explanation
Title block fields and their significance: (1) Drawing number — unique identifier for tracking and referencing. (2) Revision column — every revision is logged with number, date, and description. Reading the revision column is the fastest way to understand the history of a drawing. (3) Scale — required for any field measurement; if printed at a different scale, the note 'DO NOT SCALE DRAWINGS' applies. (4) Approval status — IFC stamp, A/N stamp, or R&R notation. (5) Preparer and checker initials — confirms QC review was performed.
What This Means for Your Shop
Before releasing any drawing to the shop floor, check three items in the title block: (1) Is this the current revision? (2) What is the approval status? (3) Does the drawing number match your submittal log? These three checks take 30 seconds and prevent major errors.
Common Mistakes
Not checking the revision column when a revised drawing is received. A drawing can look identical to the previous revision in the detail content but have a different revision number in the title block — the only way to catch a superseded drawing is to check the revision.
Recommended Process
Train all shop floor personnel to check the title block before using any drawing. Post a 'Before You Use This Drawing — Check 3 Things' sign at every drawing station: current revision? IFC status? Drawing number matches log?