Basic Welding Terms
Arc Voltage – the voltage that runs along the welding arc.
Base Metal – the metal material that will be welded or cut.
Bond – the joining of welding metal and base metal.
Goggles – safety equipment worn to protect the welder’s eyes from harmful radiation while
welding and cutting.
Helmet – protection equipment worn to protect the welder’s face and neck.
Liquidus – the lowest temperature where metal becomes liquid
Melting Point – the temperature that needs to be reached to allow metal to begin to liquefy.
Melting Range – the range of temperatures between solidus and liquidus.
Tempering – process of reheating hardened steel below the lowest critical temperature and then
allowing it to cool to make the steel stronger.
Weld – a point where metals have been fused together by heating the materials to a suitable
temperature. Filler metals or pressure may be used to accomplish the weld.
Welder Certification – document certifying that the welder has made his welds according to the
standards prescribed.
Welding Torch – tool used for gas welding to control the flow of gases used.
Welding Materials
Acetone – flammable and unstable liquid that is used to dissolve and stabilize acetylene.
Acetylene – a highly combustible gas that is made of carbon and hydrogen that is used in gas
welding.
Alloy – a mixture of one or more elements with at least one being a metal.
Electrode – various materials that are used to conduct the welding current between the electrode
holder and the welding arc.
Flux – cleaner used to clean metals to be welded, soldered or brazed. It also dissolves rust and
releases any trapped gases that may be in the metal.
Nonferrous – metals that do not contain any iron. Examples of nonferrous metals include
aluminum, bronze, copper, lead and titanium.
Welding Rod – filler metal that comes in a rod or wire form and is used in brazing and gas welding
or in arc welding where the electrode does not produce filler metal.
Welding Processes
Arc Cutting – cutting processes where materials are cut by melting that is caused by the heat of the
arc between the electrode and the metal.
Arc Welding – welding methods where fusion is achieved by heating the materials to be joined
using an electric arc(s). This may be done with or without filler material.
Bare Metal-Arc Welding – an arc welding method where fusion is accomplished by using an
unshielded arc to produce heat between a bare or lightly coated electrode and the material to be welded.
The filler metal comes from the electrode and pressure is not used.
Brazing – a welding method using a filler metal that is liquefied at a temperature above 800 F is
distributed within a groove, flange or other type of joint and distributed through the joint via capillary
action.
Braze Welding – a welding process where the filler metal is liquefied above 842 F and beneath the
base metals’ solid state.
Carbon-Arc Welding – a welding method where fusion is created by an arc between a carbon
electrode and the material to be welded.
Gas Welding – a welding process where a gas flame creates the welding heat.
Metal-Arc Welding – a welding process where the heat produced from an arc forms a weld by
fusing a metal electrode and material to be welded together.
Pressure Welding – a welding process where pressure is used to make a weld.
