Chapter 8: Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
Overview
A farmer makes repairs to a broken metal cowling on a combine harvester out in the field. A pipe welder works on welding the next section of a pipeline, which already stretches for many miles. A heavy equipment operator fixes a crack in a loader bucket at a jobsite. A new welding student strikes an arc for the first time. What do all these projects have in common? They utilize shielded metal arc welding (SMAW).
Often called stick welding (or simply arc welding by the older generations of welders), SMAW is one of the oldest and most reliable forms of electric arc welding. Robust, highly portable, and able to weld a wide range of metals, SMAW has been a staple process of the welding industry for over a century.
In this chapter, you will learn about the fundamental aspects of the SMAW process. You will be introduced to some of the history of SMAW and its current applications. You will be shown the components of the welding system and study techniques in order to become proficient in welding with this process.
Objectives
After completing this chapter, students should be able to:
- List some of the uses of the SMAW process in industry.
- Identify equipment associated with SMAW.
- Classify electrodes used for SMAW.
- Recall techniques for using SMAW.
Key Terms
- Alternating current (AC)
- American Welding Society (AWS)
- Amperage
- Arc
- Arc length
- Base metal
- Constant current (CC)
- Direct current electrode negative (DCEN)
- Direct current electrode positive (DCEP)
- Electrode
- Electrode holder
- Electrode lead
- Filler metal
- Flux
- Leading angle
- Multi-pass weld
- Perpendicular angle
- Single-pass weld
- Slag
- Stringer bead
- Trailing angle
- Travel angle
- Travel speed
- Voltage
- Weld bead
- Weld pool
- Welding leads
- Welding power source
- Weldment
- Work angle
- Workpiece lead
Attributions
- Chapter opening image: SMAW by U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration in the Public Domain; United States government work
