A Definition of Welding
A Definition of Welding
Welding is a joining process that produces a local coalescence of materials by heating, by applying pressure, or both. In essence, the welding process fuses the surfaces of two distinct elements to form a single unit. It encompasses a broad range of joining techniques that include fusion welding, solid state welding, weldbonding, diffusion welding, brazing, and soldering.
The Scope and Impact of Welding
Welding dates back to the earliest days of metalworking, and continues to be widely applied today due to its costeffectiveness, reliability, and safety. When compared with other joining methods, such as riveting and bolting, welded structures tend to be stronger, lighter-weight, and cheaper to produce. More than 100 processes and process variants comprise the family of welding technologies, and include methods for welding metals, polymers, and ceramics, as well as emerging composite and engineered materials. These various technologies allow a great deal of flexibility in the design of components to be welded. They also encourage designing for optimal cost-effectiveness in productivity and product performance. Welding and joining technologies pervade commercial and defense manufacturing, and are a significant source of value-added in the manufacturing process. Occurring late in the manufacturing stream, the joining process is typically the final step in assembly and plays the major role in ensuring structural performance. Additionally, the emergence of near-net-shape processes to produce sub-components has raised the importance of assembly processes as the next area for increased production efficiency. The role of welding and joining in the repair and life extension of manufactured products is even more critical since these processes are frequently used to repair structures and components that were not originally
Welding is a joining process that produces a local coalescence of materials by heating, by applying pressure, or both. In essence, the welding process fuses the surfaces of two distinct elements to form a single unit. It encompasses a broad range of joining techniques that include fusion welding, solid state welding, weldbonding, diffusion welding, brazing, and soldering.
The Scope and Impact of Welding
Welding dates back to the earliest days of metalworking, and continues to be widely applied today due to its costeffectiveness, reliability, and safety. When compared with other joining methods, such as riveting and bolting, welded structures tend to be stronger, lighter-weight, and cheaper to produce. More than 100 processes and process variants comprise the family of welding technologies, and include methods for welding metals, polymers, and ceramics, as well as emerging composite and engineered materials. These various technologies allow a great deal of flexibility in the design of components to be welded. They also encourage designing for optimal cost-effectiveness in productivity and product performance. Welding and joining technologies pervade commercial and defense manufacturing, and are a significant source of value-added in the manufacturing process. Occurring late in the manufacturing stream, the joining process is typically the final step in assembly and plays the major role in ensuring structural performance. Additionally, the emergence of near-net-shape processes to produce sub-components has raised the importance of assembly processes as the next area for increased production efficiency. The role of welding and joining in the repair and life extension of manufactured products is even more critical since these processes are frequently used to repair structures and components that were not originally