Welding Terms and Techniques: Backing, Beads, and Bevels

Backing

A material or device placed against the back side of the joint adjacent to the joint root, or at both sides of a joint in electroslag and electrogas welding, to support and shield molten weld metal.

Backing bead

A weld bead resulting from a backing weld pass.

Backing filler metal

A nonstandard term for consumable insert.

Backing gas

A gas used to shield the root side of a weld joint.

Backing ring

Backing in the form of a ring, generally used in the welding of pipe.

Backing shoe

A barrier device used in electroslag and electrogas welding to contain the weld without being fused.

Backing weld

Backing in the form of a weld.

Backing weld pass

A weld pass resulting in a backing weld.

Backstep sequence

A longitudinal sequence in which weld passes are made in the direction opposite to the progression of welding.

Backup, flash and upset welding

A locating device used to transmit all or a portion of the upset force to the workpieces or to aid in preventing the workpieces from slipping during upsetting.

Backup electrode

A resistance welding electrode having a large electrode face opposing the welding force.

Balling up, brazing and soldering

The formation of globules of molten filler metal or flux due to insufficient base metal wetting.

Bare electrode

A filler metal electrode produced as a wire, strip, or bar with no coating or covering except one incidental to its manufacture or preservation.

Bare metal arc welding (BMAW)

An arc welding process using an arc between a bare or lightly coated electrode and the weld pool.

Base material

The material being welded, brazed, soldered, or cut.

Base metal

The metal or alloy being welded, brazed, soldered, or cut.

Base metal test specimen

A test specimen composed wholly of base metal.

Base metal zone (BMZ)

The portion of base metal adjacent to a weld, braze or solder joint or thermal cut and unaffected by welding, brazing, soldering, or thermal cutting.

Base plate

A nonstandard term when used for base metal.

Bead

See weld bead.

Bead reentrant angle

The reentrant angle between adjacent weld beads.

Bead weld

A nonstandard term for surfacing weld.

Beam divergence

The expansion of a beam's cross section as the beam emanates from its source.

Bend test

A test in which a specimen is bent to a specified bend radius.

Berry formation

A nonstandard term for nozzle accumulation.

Bevel

An angular edge shape.

Bevel angle

The angle between the bevel of a joint member and a plane perpendicular to the surface of the member.

Bevel depth

The perpendicular distance from the base metal surface to the bottom of the bevel face.

Bevel edge shape

A type of edge shape in which the prepared surface or surfaces lies at some angle other than perpendicular to the material surface.