WELDING TERMINOLOGY

LISTED BELOW IS SOME COMMON WELDING TERMS:

• AIR ARC(ARC GOUGE) – The process of removing metal by means
of a carbon arc rod (electrode) connected to a welding machine and air
• BACKWELD – The process of completely welding the one side of a
component, and then back grinding or back gouging the other side and
applying a weld from that side
• BACKING WELD – The process of applying a weld pass to the back
side of the weld to provide a backing. And then completely welding
out the opposite side
• BACKING PLATE OR STRAP – The installation of a plate, strip of
plate, usually of the same material as base metal to the back side of the
weldment to aid in welding up large root openings in a weldment
 WELDING TERMINOLOGY
• Cap- The finished portion of the weld (last pass)
• Consumable insert – A type of spacer that is installed in the
root spacing of a pipe or plate to keep the specified root
opening and is made of the same material as the base
metal. This insert acts as the filler metal for the root and is
melted (consumed) with the welding process normally
with GTAW.
• Discontinuity – an imperfection in the weld
• Defect – a discontinuity of sufficient size, length, type that
will render that particular object unsuitable for intended
service base on a criteria in an applicable code
 WELDING TERMINOLOGY
• Destructive testing- a sampling of the weld that is actually
taken from the weldment and is subjected to a bend,
tension, or other form of test that usually destroys the test
coupon.
• Essential variables- are those which a change, is
considered to affect the mechanical properties of the
weldment and shall require requalification of the WPS
• Filler metal- The consumable electrode that is used in most
welding processes to fill the weld groove
• Flux- The coating on welding electrodes that when
decomposes during welding forming a shielding gas
around the weld.
 WELDING TERMINOLOGY
• Heat Affected Zone (HAZ)- The portion of the base metal
that has not been melted, but whose mechanical properties
or microstructure have been altered by the heat of welding
and cutting
• Preheat- the process of applying heat to a weldment before
welding. This process reduces the thermal gradients within
a weldment and slows down the cooling rates, resulting in
a more ductile structure with lower residual stress. Preheat
also aids in removing moisture and helps remove
hydrogen.
 WELDING TERMINOLOGY
• Post Weld Heat (PWHT)- also known as stress relieving in
carbon and low alloy steels. The metals temperature is
raised to just below the lower transformation temperature
and held for a prescribed time and allowed to cool at a
controlled rate. This process is done to help eliminate the
residual stress in metals and to reduce the hardness of the
weld and adjacent HAZ after welding to back within
acceptable limits, thereby reducing the possibility of
cracking
• Porosity- a discontinuity in a weld when gas is trapped in
the solidifying metal which is caused by gas released in the
welding process or gas released from chemical reactions
occurring during the welding process.
• Repair – any rework on a completed weld that requires re-
welding to correct a fault discovered by visual or non-
destructive testing and is beyond the standard limits of
acceptability
 WELDING TERMINOLOGY
• Root Bead- The first or stringer bead that initially joins
two sections of pipe, plate or fitting
• Welding Procedure Specification (WPS)- a written
procedure (recipe) prepared to provide direction for
making production welds to a code requirement. It is
supported by a PQR (procedure qualification record)
which is a record of actual variables used in the welding of
the test coupon.
• Procedure Qualification Record (PQR) –documentation of
what occurred during welding the test coupon and the test
results of the coupon
 JOINT CONFIGURATION
Butt Weld
• 1= Groove Face 3 6
• 2= Root Opening
4
• 3= Groove Angle
• 4= Root Face 5
• 5=Plate thickness
• 6=Bevel Angle 1 2
 JOINT CONFIGURATION
• Root Opening – A separation at the joint root between the
two work pieces
• Root Face – The portion of the groove face adjacent to the
joint root
• Groove Face – The surface of a joint member included in
the groove
• Groove Angle – The total included angle of the groove
between the two work places
• Bevel Angle – The angle formed between the prepared
edge of a member and a plane perpendicular to the surface
of the member
• Groove weld size – The joint penetration of a groove weld
• Plate thickness – The thickness of the base metals to be
welded
 JOINT CONFIGURATION
Parts of a butt weld

Weld Face Face or Weld

Toe of Weld Reinforcement
both side

Weld Root
 JOINT CONFIGURATION
• Parts of a butt weld Weld Metal
Cap
Groove Faces

Base
Metal

Heat Affected
Zone (HAZ)
Root
 WELDER RELATED
• A Welder Performance Qualification test is given to
determine the ability of the welder or welding operator to
make sound welds.
• When a welder has not welded with a process for a period
of 6 months or more his qualification shall expire, unless
within the six month period prior to his expiration date, the
welder has welded using a manual or semiautomatic
welding process for that process for which he was
qualified. (Recommend to use a welder continuity sheet)
• Or when there is specific reason to question his ability to
make sound welds.
 WELDER RELATED
• Welder test positions for pipe
• 1G- Pipe is horizontal and rotated , welding flat on
or near top of pipe
• 2G- Pipe or tube is vertical and not rotated during
welding, welding is horizontal
• 5G- Pipe or tube is horizontal fixed, and not
rotatated, weld is vertical, flat and overhead
• 6G- Pipe is inclined fixed at a 45 deg angle and
not rotated during welding
 WELDER RELATED
• Welder test positions for plate
• 1G- Plate is horizontal weld position is flat
• 2G- Plate is vertical axis of weld is horizontal
weld position is horizontal
• 3G- Plate is vertical and axis of weld is vertical
weld position is vertical
• 4G- Plate is horizontal weld position is overhead