Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) is also known as what, and what characterizes it?

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) is also known as what, and what characterizes it?

• A. MIG welding with a continuous wire
• B. Stick welding, a manual arc welding process that uses a consumable electrode covered with a flux to lay the weld.
• C. TIG welding with tungsten electrode
• D. Laser welding

Answer: (B)

Shielded Metal Arc Welding is commonly called stick welding. It is a manual arc welding process where the electrode is a consumable rod coated with flux. As the electrode melts, the flux coating does two jobs: it forms a shield around the weld with gases and a protective slag, keeping the weld pool from reacting with air, and it provides the filler material to fuse the joint. The arc is struck between the electrode and the workpiece, the electrode deposits metal into the weld, and the slag that forms around the bead must be chipped away after welding. This method is versatile and portable, suitable for a variety of steels and field work. It differs from MIG welding, which uses a continuous wire with a separate shielding gas, from TIG welding, which uses a non‑consumable tungsten electrode, and from laser welding, which uses a focused laser beam.

Shielded Metal Arc Welding is commonly called stick welding. It is a manual arc welding process where the electrode is a consumable rod coated with flux. As the electrode melts, the flux coating does two jobs: it forms a shield around the weld with gases and a protective slag, keeping the weld pool from reacting with air, and it provides the filler material to fuse the joint. The arc is struck between the electrode and the workpiece, the electrode deposits metal into the weld, and the slag that forms around the bead must be chipped away after welding. This method is versatile and portable, suitable for a variety of steels and field work. It differs from MIG welding, which uses a continuous wire with a separate shielding gas, from TIG welding, which uses a non‑consumable tungsten electrode, and from laser welding, which uses a focused laser beam.