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Different Types Of Welding Joints

Becoming a welder is exciting and there are many career opportunities for you to pursue. Throughout your training program and career, you will learn about the different types of welding joints.

A welding joint, simply put, is where two or more pieces of plastic or metal are joined together. To get a welding joint, you must weld the pieces together by using specific geometric calculations.

There are five main types of welding joints that you should familiarize yourself with as you will encounter them in both your career training program and out in the real world. If you have any questions about the different types of joints, please do not hesitate to reach out to the UEI College team today!

5 Main Types of Welding Joints

Butt Joint

To get a butt joint, you take two different plates, lay them on the same plane, and then you weld together the edges of the plates. It is important to pay attention when creating a butt joint as you should only use plates with a thickness between 3 mm and 12 mm. Some of the types of welds you will find with a butt joint include:

  • Bevel groove 
  • Square butt
  • Flare V groove
  • V groove
  • Flare bevel groove butt
  • J groove
  • U groove

T Joint

To get a T joint weld, you need two plates that have surfaces that are at a right angle to one another. For the best results, you should only utilize plates up to 3 mm in thickness. If you do have plates that are thicker than the recommended 3 mm, you would need to complete the weld on both sides. Some of the types of welds you will find with a T joint include:

  • Melt through
  • Fillet
  • Flare bevel
  • Plug
  • Bevel groove
  • Slot
  • J groove

Corner Joint

To get a corner joint weld, you would need to join together the edges of two plates at a 90-degree angle. This type of welding is used primarily for light- and heavy-duty metal thickness. When performing a corner joint weld, you always want to make sure that you perform the weld on the outside corner of the plates. Some of the types of welds you will find with a corner joint include:

  • Square groove
  • Fillet
  • Bevel groove
  • Spot
  • J groove
  • U groove
  • V groove
  • Edge
  • Flare V
  • Corner flange

Edge Joint

An edge joint weld occurs when two parallel plates are welded together. This type of weld is best used for plates that are 6 mm or less in thickness. This type of joint is commonly seen on sheet metal. Some of the types of welds you will find with an edge joint include:

  • U groove
  • Square groove
  • V groove
  • Bevel groove
  • J groove
  • Corner flange
  • Edge flange

Lap Joint

To get a lap joint weld, you place two plates together and then weld the edges of the plates together. The best weld results with plates that are 3 mm or less in thickness. Often, these types of welds can be found on exercise equipment and weight machines. Some of the types of welds you will find with a lap joint include:

  • Spot
  • Flare bevel
  • Bevel groove
  • Fillet
  • Slot
  • Plug
  • J groove

UEI College Can Help You Become a Welder

If you are looking to train for a career that is not only rewarding but fun, check out the Welding Technician program at UEI College. Our welding training program can be completed in as few as 10 months and you will learn everything you need to know in both our classroom and shop environment. You will gain the hands-on skills needed to be successful in your entry-level role as a welder. We train you to industry standards and you will learn how to create all types of welds.

If you would like to learn more about our program, call UEI College today.

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