iii Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be reproduced or posted to a publicly accessible website. Preface Shielded Metal Arc Welding presents the fundamentals of this skilled trade in an easy- to-understand manner. Each unit includes problems for you, the student welder, to solve. Arc welding requires a great deal of practice to produce satisfactory weldments. To become a good welder, you will have to spend many hours running beads and making joints presented in this write-in text. Read the text matter carefully, study and complete the questions, and perform the activities as required. This will aid you in developing skills and techniques that will enable you to enter the welding industry and to prepare yourself for many exciting career opportunities. Each practice piece should be evaluated and every effort should be made to correct any problem encountered. Where possible, test each weld for integrity, penetration, and appear- ance. Your instructor will help you to do this. To conserve material, it is recommended that both sides of the practice piece be used whenever practical. Identify your work by stamping your name or initials on each practice piece. The questions in Check Your Progress at the end of each unit will help you determine how well you understand the related information that the welder must know. Additional up-to-date welding know-how can be acquired by carrying out the suggested activities in the Things to Do section. Be sure to practice safety at all times. About the Authors John R. Walker is the author of thirteen textbooks and has written many magazine arti- cles. Mr. Walker did his undergraduate studies at Millersville University and has a master of science degree in industrial education from the University of Maryland. He taught industrial arts and vocational education for thirty-two years and served as the Supervisor of Industrial Education for fi ve years. He also worked as a machinist for the U.S. Air Force and as a drafts- man at the U.S. Army Aberdeen Proving Grounds. W. Richard Polanin is a professor at Illinois Central College, as well as the coordinator of the Manufacturing Engineering Technology and Welding Technology programs. Dr. Polanin has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Illinois State University, as well as a doctorate degree from the University of Illinois. In addition to his thirty years of teaching experience, he is an active consultant in welding and manufacturing. He is an AWS-certifi ed welding inspector, an AWS-certifi ed welding educator, and an SME-certifi ed manufacturing engineer. He has published numerous technical papers and has made many technical pre- sentations in the areas of welding, manufacturing, robotics, and manufacturing education.