Welding Terms (E & F)

Dear Readers,

Following Terms are commonly used in Welding works.

Edge Joint - The outer edge of two plates butted up 90 degrees parallel to each other.

Edge Preparation - Before welding the edge of a plate or pipe, care is taken to ensure a sound weld. It may be torch cut or beveled, machined with a grinder, filed, or all three.

Electrode - Electrodes come either covered with flux, or just bare wire. In the field an electrode is called a "rod" in stick welding, and "wire" for Mig and Flux Cored Arc Welding.

Electrode Extension – The length of electrode extending beyond the end of the contact tube.

Electrode Holder – A hand clamp that holds a welding rod and conducts electricity out of the rod in DIRECT CURRENT ELECTRODE NEGATIVE, or into the rod in DIRECT CURRENT ELECTRODE POSITIVE.

Electron Beam Welding – A welding process producing coalescence of metals with molten slag which melts the filler metal and the surfaces of the work to be welded. The molten weld pool is shielded by the slag, which moves along the full cross section of the joint as welding progresses.

Electroslag Welding – A welding process producing coalescence of metals with molten slag which melts the filler metal and the surfaces of the work to be welded. The molten weld pool is shielded by the slag, which moves along the full cross section of the joint as welding progresses.

Eutectoid Composition – A mixture of phases whose composition are determined by the eutectoid point in the solid region of an equilibrium diagram and whose constituents are formed by eutectoid reaction.

Face - On plate or pipe welding there is a ROOT PASS, HOT PASS, FILLER PASS, and CAP. The root penetrates through the back of the plate, the cap is on the surface which you are welding, which is the face.

Facing Surface – The surfaces of materials in contact with each other and joined or about to be joined together.

Fan: Welding machines have a fan to cool the machine down and keep it from overheating. (Check the Duty Cycle / Working Hours) Some fans run constantly, while others run "on demand" which means it comes on when necessary and clicks off when not needed.

Ferrous Metal - Ferrous means that the metal is iron, or iron with alloys.

Filler Material – The material to be added in making a welded, brazed, or soldered joint.

Fillet Weld – A weld of approximately triangular cross section that joins two surfaces approximately at right angles to each other in a lap joint, T-joint, or corner joint.

Fillet Weld Face - The surface or top of the weld.

Fillet Weld Leg - From the intersection of the joint to the end of the weld. There will be a leg for each plate.

Fillet Weld Toe - Is the end of the weld at the end of the leg. Again, there will be one for each plate.

Fillet Weld Root - Where the weld begins at the intersection of the joined plates.

Fillet Weld Throat - The distance from the root to the face.

Filter Plate – A transparent plate tinted in varying darkness for use in goggles, helmets, and hand shields to protect workers from harmful ultraviolet, infrared, and visible radiation.

Flame Spraying – A thermal spraying process using an oxy-fuel gas flame as the source of heat for melting the coating material.

Flammable Range – The range over which a gas at normal temperature (NTP) forms a flammable mixture with air.

Flat Welding Position – A welding position where the weld axis is approximately horizontal and the weld face lies in an approximately horizontal plane.

Flashback – A recession of the flame into or back of the mixing chamber of the torch.

Flashback Arrestor – A device to limit damage from a flashback by preventing the propagation of the flame front beyond the point at which the arrestor is installed.

Flash Burn - This is a burn from the radiation produced from the ULTRAVIOLET rays from the welding arc. It can burn the skin like sunburn, and even blister the cornea. You do not realize it until hours later when it feels like someone is rubbing hot sand in your eyes.

Flashing – The violent expulsion of small metal particles due to arcing during flash butt welding.

Flow Meter – Also known as a flow sensor, a flow meter is a device designed for measuring nonlinear or linear flowrate. It measures the volumetric or mass flow rate of gases.

Flux – Material used to prevent, dissolve, or facilitate removal of oxides and other undesirable surface substances.

Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) – An arc welding process that produces coalescence of metals by means of tubular electrode. Shielding gas may or may not be used.

Free Bend Test - Also called a guided bend test, this is a destructive test. A coupon is cut from a test plate, the weld grinded, then the coupon (usually 1 ½ "wide by 7" long) is bent in a JIG. It is then VISUALLY INSPECTED for cracks and defects.

Friction Welding – A solid welding process which produces coalescence of material by the heat obtained from a mechanically induced sliding motion between rubbing surfaces. The work parts are held together under pressure.

Friction Stir Welding – A solid-state welding process, which produces coalescence of material by the heat obtained from a mechanically induced rotating motion between tightly butted surfaces. The work parts are held together under pressure.

Forehand Welding – A welding technique where the welding torches or gun is pointed toward the direction of welding.

Fumes - Welding fumes are a complex mixture of metals metallic oxides, silicates, and fluorides. Fumes are formed when a metal is heated above its boiling point and its vapors condense into very fine, particles (solid particulates). Welding fumes generally contain particles from the electrode and the material being welded

Fusion – The melting together of filler metal and base metal (substrate), or of base metal only, which results in coalescence.