If you are starting a welding career, you will learn a lot of welding terminology. It may seem a little tiring at first, but you'll get the hang of it during your welding training.
Understand all terms used by welders
To get you started, here is a compilation of the most commonly used welding terms:
turns on
A metal made from two or more elements combined.
Ringing
Annealing is the slow cooling of metal to reduce internal stresses, make the material softer, and change ductility, among other things.
Arc welding
A general term that applies to many types of welding. The common denominator is using an arc to create heat. Arc welding may also use other filler materials or pressure to create a weld.
Base metal
This has two meanings: 1) the metal that will be cut or welded; 2) in an alloy, it is the largest proportion of the metal.
Connection
The point where the weld metal joins the base metal.
Brazing
This welding technique uses a filler metal to create a bond. The filler metal is non-ferrous and has a melting point below the melting point of the base metal.
Carbon Arc Welding
A welding method that involves creating an arc between a carbon electrode and a metal.
Cover hardening
This process hardens the metal surface using internal diffusion with gases or liquids before applying heat.
Coated electrode
The electrode is covered with flux by dipping or painting. When heat is applied, the flow produces a gas that shields the arc.
Covered Electrode
The metal electrode is covered with asbestos, flux, paper or other materials to make the arc more stable and improve the welding metal.
Critical temperature
The temperature at which the material transitions from one crystalline form to another.
Current density
The number of amps applied per square inch to a specific area.
cutting torch
This welding tool controls the gas to preheat the metal as well as the oxygen to cut the metal.
Direct Current Electrode Negative (DCEN)
The metal to be welded is the positive pole and the electrode is the negative pole of the arc.
Direct Current Electrode Positive (DCEP)
DCEP is the opposite of DCEN. The welded metal is the negative pole and the electrode is the positive pole of the arc.
Electric arc
An electric current that forms in the space between two electrodes creates an electric arc.
Electrode
There are many types of electrodes used in welding. An electrode conducts electrical current through a workpiece to create the weld. Some electrodes are consumed in the welding process, while others are not.
Filling material
This is the metal that is added when making a weld.
Flame Cutting (Oxygen)
The chemical action of oxygen applied to base metal elements at high temperatures cuts ferrous metals.
Flame Gouging (Oxygen)
This method is used to create a groove in the metal using an oxygen cutting tool.
Flame hardening
The metal surface is hardened using a heated flame, followed by rapid cooling.
Flame smoothing
This technique makes the metal softer by first heating it and then letting it cool slowly.
Flow
This material cleans metals to prepare them for welding.
Front welding
The flare is driven into the metal before welding is completed.
Gas Carbon Arc Welding
Welding is carried out by an electric arc between a carbon electrode and the welding metal. Argon or helium gas provides the protection.
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
The heat from the arc produced between the electrode and the metal results in a weld. A gas such as helium provides the protection. This technique is also called Metal-Inert-Gas (MIG) welding.
Gas tungsten arc welding, GTAW
Also called tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, this arc welding method uses an electrode made from inert gas tungsten.
Gas Welding
Type of welding where the heat for welding comes from a gas flame.
Groove Weld
Creating this weld requires filler material that goes into the groove between two metals to join them together.
Hammer welding
Hammer two pieces of heated metal together.
Hydrogen Brazing
A type of brazing in a furnace under a hydrogen atmosphere.
Hydromatic Welding
This method is also called pressure-controlled welding. Spot welds are made in sequence using more than one electrode under pressure.
Inert gas
Gas that does not chemically combine with metal.
Ionization Potential
The amount of electrical voltage required to create the ionization of materials, which adds or removes electrons.
Articulation
The area where materials are melted.
Polite
The width of a piece of metal removed by cutting.
Liquid
The lowest temperature at which the metal or alloy becomes liquid.
Metal arc welding
This arc welding method uses metal electrodes.
MIG welding
See gas metal arc welding (GMAW).
Multipulse Welding
Make more than one weld using multiple pulses of electricity.
Non-Ferrous
These metals do not contain iron, such as titanium, nickel, lead, copper, bronze, brass and aluminum.
Normalizing
In this process, iron-based alloys are heated to 100°F above the critical temperature and then allowed to cool to air temperature.
Oxyacetylene Welding
The temperature required for welding comes from burning a combination of acetylene and oxygen.
Welding with Oxy-Natural Gas
In this welding process, the heat needed to make the weld comes from burning natural gas with oxygen.
Oxy-Hydrogen Welding
The heat source for this welding method is a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen.
Oxy-Propane Welding
The heat for welding comes from burning a mixture of oxygen and propane.
Peening
Small hammer blows stretch the surface of cold metals and reduce the stress on the metal.
Percussive Welding
This method involves applying high temperature to the welding site just before applying pressure.
Plasma Arc Welding
In this welding process, a constricted arc is created between a non-consumable electrode and the weld pool or between an electrode and the constricting nozzle. The ionized gas coming out of the torch provides the necessary protection.
Plug Solder
A hole is made in a piece of metal. Another piece of metal is placed behind the hole, and welding is done in the hole to connect the two pieces of metal.
Porosity
This means that gas pockets or inclusions are present in the welded material.
Pressure Controlled Welding
This welding technique creates spot or projection welds in sequence with pressure applied to the weld made by multiple electrodes.
Pressure welding
The pressure melts the materials.
Projection welding
A resistance welding technique used between two surfaces or the ends of one member and the surface of another.
Pulsation Welding
The welds at each point receive more than one electrical pulse without the electrode moving or releasing pressure.
Tempera
The rapid cooling of metal using water, air or oil.
Resistance welding
Heat is generated through resistance to the electrical current flowing through the circuit of which the welded metal is a part.
Joint Root
It is the part where the materials are joined and are at the smallest distance from each other, which can be an area, a line or a point.
Weld Root
The point where – when observed from a cross-sectional point of view – the bottom of the weld merges with the base metal.
Sealing weld
The main purpose of this soldering is to obtain a firm connection and prevent leaks.
Seam welding
This weld forms a long line that connects the joints of the welded material.
An easy way to memorize the meaning of all these different terms is to apply them during your professional training. Before you know it, many of these welding terms will be part of your everyday language.
