SECTION 2
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
Terms and definitions
The following definitions are taken from BS 499-1:Welding terms and symbols – Glossary
for welding, brazing and thermal cutting’.
Brazing
A process of joining generally applied to metals in which, during or after heating, molten
filler metal is drawn into or retained in the space between closely adjacent surfaces of the
parts to be joined by capillary attraction. In general, the melting point of the filler metal is
above 450°C but always below the melting temperature of the parent material.
Braze welding
The joining of metals using a technique similar to fusion welding and a filler metal with a
lower melting point than the parent metal, but neither using capillary action as in brazing
nor intentionally melting the parent metal.
Terms and definitions
Joint
A connection where the individual components, suitably prepared and assembled, are joined by
welding or brazing.
Weld
A union of pieces of metal made by welding.
Welding
An operation in which two or more parts are united by means of heat or pressure or both, in
such a way that there is continuity in the nature of the metal between these parts.
Terms and definitions
Types of Weld
From the configuration point of view
Fillet weld
Butt weld
Types of Weld
Autogenous weld
A fusion weld made without filler metal which can be achieved by TIG,
plasma, electron beam, laser or oxy-fuel gas welding.
Slot weld
A joint between two overlapping components made by depositing a fillet
weld round the periphery of a hole in one component so as to join it to the
surface of the other component exposed through the hole.
Types of Weld
Plug weld
A weld made by filling a hole in one component of a work piece with filler
metal so as to join it to the surface of an overlapping component exposed
through the hole (the hole can be circular or oval).
From the penetration point of view
Full penetration weld
A welded joint where the weld metal fully penetrates the joint with complete
root fusion. In US the preferred term is complete joint penetration weld
(CJP) (see AWS D1.1.).
Types of Weld
Plug weld
A weld made by filling a hole in one component of a work piece with filler
metal so as to join it to the surface of an overlapping component exposed
through the hole (the hole can be circular or oval).
From the penetration point of view
Full penetration weld
A welded joint where the weld metal fully penetrates the joint with complete
root fusion. In US the preferred term is complete joint penetration weld
(CJP) (see AWS D1.1.).
Types of Weld
Partial penetration weld:
A welded joint without full penetration. In US the preferred term is partial
joint penetration weld (PJP).
Types of Joints (see BS EN ISO 15607)
Homogeneous:
Welded joint in which the weld metal and parent material have no significant
differences in mechanical properties and/or chemical composition. Example: Two
carbon steel plates welded with a matching carbon steel electrode.
Types of Weld
Heterogeneous:
Welded joint in which the weld metal and parent material have significant
differences in mechanical properties and/or chemical composition. Example: A
repair weld of a cast iron item performed with a nickel-based electrode.
Dissimilar:
Welded joint in which the parent materials have significant differences in
mechanical properties and/or chemical composition. Example: A carbon steel lifting
lug welded onto an austenitic stainless steel pressure vessel.
Types of Weld
Features of the Completed Weld
• Parent metal: Metal to be joined or surfaced by welding, braze welding or brazing.
• Filler metal: Metal added during welding, braze welding, brazing or surfacing.
• Weld metal: All metal melted during the making of a weld and retained in the weld.
• Heat-affected zone (HAZ): The part of the parent metal that is metallurgically affected by
the heat of welding or thermal cutting, but not melted.
• Fusion line: The boundary between the weld metal and the HAZ in a fusion weld. This is
a non-standard term for weld junction.
• Weld zone: The zone containing the weld metal and the HAZ.
• Weld face: The surface of a fusion weld exposed on the side from which the weld has
been made.
• Root: The zone on the side of the first run furthest from the welder.
• Toe: The boundary between a weld face and the parent metal or between runs. This is a
very important feature of a weld since toes are points of high stress concentration and
often they are initiation points for different types of cracks (eg fatigue cracks, cold
cracks). In order to reduce the stress concentration, toes must blend smoothly into the
parent metal surface.
• Excess weld metal: Weld metal lying outside the plane joining the toes. Other non-
standard terms for this feature: Reinforcement, overfill.
Types of Weld
Types of Weld
Weld Preparation
A preparation for making a connection where the individual components, suitably
prepared and assembled, are joined by welding or brazing.
Features of the weld preparation
Angle of bevel
The angle at which the edge of a component is prepared for making a weld.
For an MMA weld on carbon steel plates, the angle is:
• 25-30° for a V preparation.
• 8-12° for a U preparation.
• 40-50° for a single bevel preparation.
• 10-20° for a J preparation.
Types of Weld
Included angle
The angle between the planes of the fusion faces of parts to be welded. In the case of
single V or U and double V or U this angle is twice the bevel angle. In the case of
single or double bevel, single or double J bevel, the included angle is equal to the
bevel angle.
Root face
The portion of a fusion face at the root that is not beveled or grooved. It’s value
depends on the welding process used, parent material to be welded and application;
for a full penetration weld on carbon steel plates, it has a value between 1-2mm (for
the common welding processes).
Gap
The minimum distance at any cross section between edges, ends or surfaces to be
joined. Its value depends on the welding process used and application; for a full
penetration weld on carbon steel plates, it has a value between 1-4mm.
Types of Weld
Root radius
The radius of the curved portion of the fusion face in a component prepared for a single
J or U, double J or U weld. In case of MMA, MIG/MAG and oxy-fuel gas welding on
carbon steel plates, the root radius has a value of 6mm for single and double U
preparations and 8mm for single and double J preparations.
Land
The straight portion of a fusion face between the root face and the curved
part of a J or U preparation, can be 0. Usually present in weld preparations
for MIG welding of aluminum alloys.
Types of Weld
Types of preparation
Open square butt preparation
Used for welding thin components, either from one or both sides. If the root gap is zero
(ie if components are in contact), this preparation becomes a closed square butt
preparation (not recommended due to problems caused by lack of penetration)
Types of Weld
Types of preparation
Single V preparation
One of the most common preparations used in welding can be produced using flame
or plasma cutting (cheap and fast). For thicker plates a double V preparation is
preferred since it requires less filler material to complete the joint and the residual
stresses can be balanced on both sides of the joint resulting in lower angular distortion.
Types of Weld
Types of preparation
Double V preparation
The depth of preparation can be the same on both sides (symmetric double V
preparation) or can be deeper on one side compared with the opposite side (asymmetric
double V preparation). Usually, in this situation the depth of preparation is distributed as
2/3 of the thickness of the plate on the first side with the remaining 1/3 on the backside.
This asymmetric preparation allows for a balanced welding sequence with root back
gouging, giving lower angular distortions. Whilst single V preparation allows welding from
one side, double V preparation requires access to both sides (the same applies for all
double side preparations).
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Types of Weld
Types of preparation
Single U preparation
U preparation can be produced only by machining (slow and expensive). However,
tighter tolerances give a better fit-up than in the case of V preparations. Usually
applied to thicker plates compared with single V preparation as it requires less filler
material to complete the joint and this leads to lower residual stresses and
distortions. Similar to the V preparation, in the case of very thick sections a double
U preparation can be used.
Types of Weld
Types of preparation
Double U preparation
Usually this type of preparation does not require a land (exception: aluminum
alloys).
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Types of Weld
Types of preparation
Single V preparation with backing strip
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Types of Weld
Single V preparation with backing strip
Backing strips allow the production of full penetration welds with increased current
and hence increased deposition rates/productivity without the danger of burn-
through. Backing strips can be permanent or temporary. Permanent types are made of
the same material as being joined and are tack welded in place. The main problems
related to this type of weld are poor fatigue resistance and the probability of crevice
corrosion between the parent metal and the backing strip. It is also difficult to examine
by NDT due to the built-in crevice at the root of the joint. Temporary types include
copper strips, ceramic tiles and fluxes.
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Types of Weld
All these preparations (single/double bevel and J) can be used on T joints
as well. Double preparations are recommended in the case of thick sections.
The main advantage of these preparations is that only one component is
prepared (cheap, can allow for small misalignments).
For further details regarding weld preparations, please refer to Standard BS EN ISO
9692.
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Types of Weld
Size of Butt Welds
Full penetration butt weld
Partial penetration butt weld
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Types of Weld
Size of Butt Welds
Full penetration butt weld
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Types of Weld
Size of Butt Welds
Full penetration butt weld
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Types of Weld
Size of Butt Welds
Types of butt weld (from accessibility point of view):
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Types of Weld
Size of Butt Welds
A fusion weld, other than a butt, edge or fusion spot weld, which is
approximately triangular in transverse cross section.
Size of fillet welds
Unlike butt welds, fillet welds can be defined using several dimensions:
Actual throat thickness: The perpendicular distance between two lines, each parallel
to a line joining the outer toes, one being a tangent at the weld face and the other
being through the furthermost point of fusion penetration
Design throat thickness: The minimum dimension of throat thickness
used for purposes of design. Also known as effective throat thickness.
Symbolised on the drawing with ‘a’
Leg length: The distance from the actual or projected intersection of the
fusion faces and the toe of a fillet weld, measured across the fusion face.
Symbolised on the drawing with ‘z’.
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Types of Weld
Vertical Leg Length
Weld face
Horizontal Leg Length
Excess weld metal
Design throat
Actual throat
Fillet Weld
Types of Weld
Shape of fillet welds
Mitre fillet weld:
A flat face fillet weld in which the leg lengths are equal within the agreed tolerance.
The cross section area of this type of weld can be considered to be a right angle
isosceles triangle with a design throat thickness ‘a’ and leg length ‘z’. The relation
between design throat thickness and leg length is:
a = 0.707 × z . or z = 1.41 × a .
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Types of Weld
Concave fillet weld:
A fillet weld in which the weld face is concave. The relation between the leg length
and the design throat thickness specified for mitre fillet welds is not valid for this
type of weld. Also, the design throat thickness is equal to the actual throat
thickness. Due to the smooth blending between the weld face and the surrounding
parent material, the stress concentration effect at the toes of the weld is reduced
compared with the previous type. This is why this type of weld is highly desired in
case of applications subjected to cyclic loads where fatigue phenomena might be a
major cause for failure.
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Types of Weld
Asymmetrical fillet weld:
A fillet weld in which the vertical leg length is not equal to the horizontal leg length.
The relation between the leg length and design throat thickness is no longer valid
for this type of weld because the cross section is not an isosceles triangle.
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Types of Weld
Deep penetration fillet weld: A fillet weld with a deeper than normal
penetration. It is produced using high heat input welding processes (ie SAW or MAG with
spray transfer). This type of weld uses the benefits of greater arc penetration to obtain
the required throat thickness whilst reducing the amount of deposited metal needed,
thus leading to a reduction in residual stress level. In order to produce a consistent and
constant penetration, the travel speed must be kept constant, at a high value. As a
consequence, this type of weld is usually produced using mechanised or automatic
welding processes. Also, the high depth-to-width ratio increases the probability of
solidification centreline cracking. In order to differentiate this type of weld from the
previous types, the throat thickness is symbolised with ‘s’ instead of ‘a’.
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Types of Weld
Compound of butt and fillet welds
This is a combination of butt and fillet welds used for T joints with full or
partial penetration or butt joints between two plates with different thickness.
Fillet welds added on top of the groove welds improve the blending of the
weld face towards the parent metal surface and reduce the stress
concentration at the toes of the weld.
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Types of Weld
Weld rotation:
The angle between the centreline of the weld and the positive Z axis or a line
parallel to the Y axis, measured in the mathematically positive direction (ie counter-
clockwise) in the plane of the transverse cross section of the weld in question.
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Types of Weld
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Types of Weld
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Types of Weld
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Types of Weld
Weaving
This is transverse oscillation of an electrode or blowpipe nozzle during the
deposition of weld metal. This technique is generally used in vertical-up
welds.
Stringer bead: A run of weld metal made with little or no weaving motion.
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