What does the voltage setting control in the FCAW process?

• A. Amperage
• B. Arc length and shape of weld bead
• C. Shielding gas type
• D. Penetration

Answer: (B)

Voltage sets the electrical potential that sustains the arc, which mainly determines how long the arc is. A higher voltage makes the arc longer, leading to a wider, flatter, and more spread-out weld bead and can affect how stable the arc feels. It’s less about how deep the weld penetrates; that’s controlled more by amperage (heat input) and travel speed. Shielding gas type isn’t determined by voltage in FCAW, especially for the self-shielded version. So, the voltage setting most directly influences arc length and the shape of the weld bead.