Welding is a process of joining two or more pieces of metal by melting and fusing them together. Welding beads are the lines or seams of metal that form along the joint as a result of welding. They are important indicators of the quality and strength of the weld, as well as the skill and technique of the welder. In this article, we will explain what welding beads are, how they are created, and what are the different types of welding beads that can be used for various welding projects and applications.
I. What are welding beads?
A welding bead is created by depositing a filler material into the joint between two pieces of metal. The filler material can be a metal rod, wire, or electrode that is melted by an electric arc, a gas flame, or a laser beam. The filler material flows into the joint and forms a pool of molten metal, also known as the weld pool or puddle. As the welder moves the torch or the electrode along the joint, the weld pool solidifies behind it, leaving a trail of metal that is called the weld bead.
The shape, size, and appearance of the weld bead depend on several factors, such as:
The type and thickness of the base metal and the filler material
The welding process and the machine settings
The position and angle of the torch or the electrode
The speed and direction of the welding movement
The preparation and cleaning of the joint before welding
A good weld bead should have a smooth and uniform surface, with no gaps, cracks, porosity, or spatter. It should also have a proper penetration and fusion with the base metal, which means that the weld bead and the base metal should melt and blend together at the edges of the joint. The weld bead should also have a consistent width and height along the joint, and a suitable shape and size for the type of joint and the welding position.
II. What are the different types of welding beads?
Many types of welding beads can be used for different welding processes, joints, and positions. Some of the most common types of welding beads are:
Stringer beads: These are straight and narrow weld beads that are created by moving the torch or the electrode in a straight line along the joint, with little or no side-to-side movement. Stringer beads are used for thin or heat-sensitive metals, or for vertical or overhead welding positions, as they allow for faster welding and less heat input. Stringer beads can also be used for multi-pass welding, which means that several layers of weld beads are applied on top of each other to fill a deep or wide joint.
Weave beads: These are wide and flat weld beads that are created by moving the torch or the electrode in a side-to-side motion along the joint, while advancing forward at a steady pace. Weave beads are used for thick or hard-to-fuse metals, or horizontal or flat welding positions, as they allow for more heat input and better penetration. Weave beads can also be used to cover a large area of the joint with a single pass of the torch or the electrode, or to bridge a gap between two pieces of metal.
Whip beads: These are short and intermittent weld beads that are created by moving the torch or the electrode forward and backward along the joint, while advancing forward at a slow pace. Whip beads are mainly used for stick welding, which is a welding process that uses a consumable electrode coated with a flux that protects the weld from oxidation and contamination. Whip beads help to control the size and shape of the weld pool, as well as to prevent overheating and burn-through of the base metal.
Walking the cup beads: These are circular and spiral weld beads that are created by moving the torch or the electrode in a circular motion along the joint, while resting the cup or the nozzle of the torch or the electrode on the base metal. Walking the cup beads are mainly used for TIG welding, which is a welding process that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode and a separate filler rod that is fed into the weld pool by hand. Walking the cup beads helps to maintain a steady and consistent arc length and torch angle, as well as to produce a smooth and uniform weld bead.
These are some of the basic types of welding beads that can be used for different welding situations and purposes. However, there are also many variations and combinations of these types, depending on the welder’s preference and experience. The choice of the type of weld bead depends on the desired outcome and the requirements of the welding project. A welder should always practice and experiment with different types of weld beads to find the best one for the job.
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