Which welding technique increases penetration by pointing at the weld bead and dragging away from it?

Which welding technique increases penetration by pointing at the weld bead and dragging away from it?

• A. Push
• B. Drag
• C. Pull
• D. Sweep

Answer: (C)

The key idea is how the electrode angle and movement affect heat into the joint. When you use the pulling technique, you point the electrode at the weld pool and move the electrode away from the bead. This concentrates more heat into the joint, melting more base metal below the surface, which increases penetration. The arc tends to travel slightly behind the bead in a way that drives heat deeper into the joint, producing a deeper, narrower bead. Pushing the electrode forward, by contrast, spreads heat more across the surface and often yields shallower penetration with a broader bead. Describing the motion as pointing at the bead and dragging away matches pulling, which is why it increases penetration.

The key idea is how the electrode angle and movement affect heat into the joint. When you use the pulling technique, you point the electrode at the weld pool and move the electrode away from the bead. This concentrates more heat into the joint, melting more base metal below the surface, which increases penetration. The arc tends to travel slightly behind the bead in a way that drives heat deeper into the joint, producing a deeper, narrower bead. Pushing the electrode forward, by contrast, spreads heat more across the surface and often yields shallower penetration with a broader bead. Describing the motion as pointing at the bead and dragging away matches pulling, which is why it increases penetration.