Welding Machines Glossary

Alloy - It is a homogeneous mixture of two or more elements having metallic properties, of which at least one is a metal.

Acetylene - It is a highly combustible gas composed of carbon and hydrogen and is commonly used as a fuel gas in the oxyacetylene welding process.

Air-Carbon Arc Cutting - It is a typical arc cutting process wherein metals to be cut are melted by the heat of the carbon arc.

Arc Blow - It is phenomenon of deflection of an electric arc from its normal path due to magnetic forces.

Arc Brazing - It is a joining or brazing process, in which the heat is obtained from an electric arc formed between the base metal and an electrode, or between two electrodes.

Arc Welding - A class of welding process in which fusion is obtained by heating with an electric arc or arcs, with or without the use of filler metal.

Annealing - A commonly used term for describing the heating and cooling cycle of steel in the solid state. The term also implies relatively slow cooling.

Arc Cutting - It is usually a group of cutting processes wherein the cutting of metals is accomplished by melting with the heat of an arc between the electrode and the base metal.

Arc Length - It is the distance between the tip of the electrode and the weld puddle.

Arc-Oxygen Cutting - It is defined as an oxygen-cutting process used to join metals by a chemical reaction of oxygen with a base metal at elevated temperatures.

Arc Voltage - It is the voltage across the welding arc.

Axis of A Weld - A line through the length of a weld, perpendicular to a cross section at its center of gravity.

Back Gouging - It is the process of removal of weld metal by arc gouging or grinding from the other side of a partially welded joint. The method assures complete penetration upon subsequent welding from that side.

Back Pass - It is a pass made to deposit a back weld.

Back Up - It is a locator used in flash and upset welding to transmit all or a portion of the upsetting force to the workpieces.

Back Weld - A weld deposited at the back of a single groove weld.

Backing Weld - A weld bead applied to the root of a single groove joint to assure complete root penetration.

Bare Metal Arc Welding - It is an arc welding process in which fusion is obtained by heating with an unshielded arc between a bare or lightly coated electrode and the work.

Base Metal - It is the metal to be welded or cut. In alloys, it is the metal present in the largest proportion.

Bead Weld - A type of weld composed of one or more string or weave beads deposited on an unbroken surface.

Carbon Arc Welding- It is a welding process in which the fusion is produced using carbon electrode or electrodes.

Carbon-Arc Cutting- A process of cutting metals with heat obtained from an arc between a carbon electrode and the work.

Coalescence - It is the union of fusion of metals upon heating.

Commutory Controlled Welding - The making of a number of spot or projection welds in which several electrodes, in simultaneous contact with the work, progressively function under the control of an electrical commutating device.

Duty Cycle - It is the number of minutes out of a 10-minute time period, an arc welding machine can be operated at maximum rated output.

Deposited Metal - The amount of filler metal that has been added during a welding operation.

Die Welding - It is a forge welding process in which fusion is produced by heating in a furnace and by applying pressure by means of dies.

Depth Of Fusion - It is the distance from the original surface of the base metal to the point at which fusion ceases in a welding operation.

Electrode- It is a filler metal in the form of a wire or rod, whether bare or covered, through which current is conducted between the electrode holder and the arc.

Edge Preparation - It is the contour prepared on the edge of a joint member for welding.

Electrode Force - It is the force, in pounds, between the electrodes during the actual welding cycle in cases of spot, seam, and projection welding.

Electron-Beam Cutting - The process of thermal cutting in vacuum by melting and vaporizing a narrow section of the metal by the impact of a focused beam of electrons.

Filler Metal - It is the metal to be added in making a weld.

Fillet Weld - A weld of approximately triangular cross section, joining two surfaces at approximately right angles to each other.

Flash - It is the metal and oxide ejected from a joint made by a resistance welding process.

Flash Welding - A resistance welding process in which fusion is produced, simultaneously over the entire area of abutting surfaces, by the heat obtained from resistance to the flow of current between two surfaces.

Forge Welding - It is a group of welding processes in which fusion is produced by heating in a forge or furnace and applying pressure or blows.

Gas Welding - A process in which the welding heat is obtained from a gas flame.

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW ) - An arc welding process in which fusion is produced by heating with an electric arc between a metal electrode and the work. Shielding is obtained from an inert gas such as helium or argon. In this process, the filler metal may or may not be used.

Gas Tungsten-Arc Welding (GTAW) - It is an arc welding process wherein fusion is produced by heating with an electric arc between a tungsten electrode and the work while an inert gas forms around the weld area to prevent oxidation. No flux is used in this type of welding.

Inert Gas - A gas which does not normally combine chemically with the base metal or filler metal.

Induction Welding - It is a welding process in which fusion is produced by heat obtained from resistance of the work to the flow of induced electric current, with or without the application of pressure.

Intermittent Weld - It is a series of welds at intervals along a joint.

Layer - A stratum of weld metal, consisting of one or more weld beads.

Metal-Arc Welding - It is an arc welding process wherein a metal electrode is held in such a way that the heat of the arc fuses both the electrode and the work to form a weld.

Metal-Arc Cutting - It is the process of cutting metals by melting by means of heat of the metal arc.

Nugget - It is the fused metal zone of a resistance weld.

Plasma - Plasma is an ionized (electrified) form of gas. In plasma cutting, a gas such as nitrogen is sent under pressure through the torch where it begins to swirl and is forced out a small orifice at which point it passes through an electric arc and the gas is ionized.

Preheating - This refers to the application of heat to a base metal prior to a welding or cutting operation.

Pressure Controlled Welding - It is the process of making a number of spot or projection welds in which several electrodes function progressively under the control of a pressure sequencing device.

Metal Inert Gas welding (MIG)- It is also known as GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding). The "Metal" refers to the wire which is used to start the arc. It is shielded by inert gas and the feeding wire also acts as the filler rod.

Tungsten Inert Gas welding (TIG)- Also called GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding). In this type of welding, the arc is started with a tungsten electrode shielded by inert gas and filler rod is fed into the weld puddle separately.