What is Bevel in Welding? Understanding the Important

Marcus Colson Last updated on September 4, 2023
Reading Time: 4 Minute

We must know many types of welding processes as welders because one of them will be useful in welding, such as bevel welding.

What is bevel in welding? Maybe your first question after reading it.

The bevel welding process is one type of preparation that we need to do to help the welding process easier and produce quality products.

In this article, I have summarized information specifically for you to understand the bevel welding definition and so on.

Let’s take a look at the explanation!

What is Bevel in Welding?

Bevel joint welding is one of the preparatory processes we should notice before welding, especially in large-scale metal fabrication products projects. 

Bevelling is preparing for welding by cutting an angled slope on the edge of the metal.

The cut is usually “V” shaped, so the surface to be welded becomes larger. So, we will weld the inner area of the V.

In pipe welding, bevelling is an integral part of the engineering process.

We will remove a small portion of the metal at the end of each pipe that will be welded together.

This can be done automatically using a bevel welding joints machine or manually using flame-cutting or hand-grinding.

This procedure is the industry norm for welders in the oil and gas industry.

The purpose of the bevel welding angle is to make the surface of the welding joint larger.

If the welding surface is large, the penetration process into the material will be easier and better.

That way, our welding results are much stronger than the welding process that does not contain this bevel.

Types of Bevels in Welding

Before welding, we can choose many types of bevels; adjust them to the application.

Well, some common types that we can encounter during work include:

  • Single Bevel. This first type will direct us to make an angle on one side of the material as much as 45 degrees
  • Double Bevels. This type of bevel has two angles, with the normal standard being 30 and 60 degrees.
  • J-Bevel. The angle of this bevel is only one, which is about 30 degrees, with a circle at the end. This type of bevel is widely used when we do high production using automatic welding. Only a small section of the pipe is removed to resemble the letter J. This process consumes less wire and is easier than other types.

With the above examples of techniques, it takes a lot of foresight and analytical skills to choose the best technique.

If the wrong one is chosen, some risks may occur, such as lack of penetration and porosity.

Read Also : Why Are Welding Carts Angled? Is This Important for Weld?

Bevelling Equipment

To help us create good and consistent bevelling results on each side of the material, the help of competent equipment can be a consideration.

We must pay attention to portability in choosing equipment because of its use in the fields and close to the pipe welding site.

In general, we can choose from two equipment types I said a little earlier: manually and using machines.

1. Manual Bevelling

Manual bevelling or hand-bevelling tools are portable because we can carry them easily anywhere.

With its portability, mobility while working will be much more guaranteed.

But behind this advantage, there are significant disadvantages that you need to consider more carefully. The two manual tools are:

  • Hand Grinder. This tool is relatively cheap compared to other bevelling equipment. However, its effectiveness could be higher because we will waste much time using it. And, of course, its use is much more laborious.
  • Flame Cutters. This tool is quite easy to carry, and its use is also faster than a hand grinder, but there is a danger of fire lurking during the process. In addition, this tool also requires compressed water and oxy-acetylene.

If using these two tools, it can cause inconsistencies in the bevel.

In addition, operating it also requires a highly skilled welder as an operator. If you’re a beginner, you’ll be crossed off the list of people who do this, right?

2. Bevelling Machine

This machine is available in two options, portable and stationary, so you can choose the tool that suits your needs and work preferences.

Well, here’s an explanation of both:

  • Stationary Machines. The operation of this machine is very fast and safe. In addition, the cost per bevel is also relatively cheaper. The problem is that this machine cannot be brought directly to the pipe, so we can only use it when building pipelines.
  • Portable Machines. Compared to all bevel tools in circulation today, portable machines are the most expensive and include custom-built tools. But Quality comes at a price, right? Because if you use this tool, the welder’s energy will not be drained much and does not require very professional personnel.

So, if you are a beginner and want to do bevelling, you can choose a portable machine.

With limited skills, the slope results remain consistent, and the tool is comfortable and easy to operate.

Why is Bevelling Tool Important in Welding?

The bevel process, especially by using a machine, is very important for welders because it can significantly influence the welding results.

Using these tools can help welders, especially in the oil and gas industry, to reduce the risk of errors, reduce man-hours, and improve health and safety and overall weld quality.

These points are very helpful to us, right?

Do you want to be able to get the job done quickly but still with quality?

Read Also : Welding Defects: Common Types and How to Avoid Them

Advantages of Bevel in Welding Process

In general, there are several advantages that we get if we use this process, such as:

  1. Prevent cracks in the welding material and the final result, so we don’t need to make major revisions to the weld results
  2. Increases the strength of the weld joint
  3. It helps to maximize the penetration of the weld material into the base material
  4. It can be used for other purposes, such as preparation when powder coating and painting.

The answer to “what is bevel in welding?” above is amazing, isn’t it?

With a few simple steps before welding, the results of our work can be maximized.

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Marcus Colson
Marcus Colson

Welding is more than a hobby for me - it's a passion. The art of fusing metal together to create something new and functional never gets old. From intricate sculptures to sturdy structures, I love the endless possibilities that welding offers.

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