What is the travel angle in welding?

• A. The angle the electrode makes in the plane perpendicular to the weld
• B. The angle the electrode makes along the weld
• C. The angle the electrode makes at the start of the weld
• D. The angle of travel along the weld

Answer: (B)

Travel angle is about how much the electrode is tilted in the direction you move along the joint. As you weld, you tilt the electrode forward or backward relative to the welding direction, and this tilt—the angle between the electrode and your travel direction—shapes the molten puddle and bead. This tilt is described in the plane of the weld, and it controls penetration and bead width.

That’s why the description “the angle the electrode makes along the weld” best matches how this angle is defined. The other options mix up the reference: angles in the plane perpendicular to the weld describe a different orientation (work angle), starting angle refers to entry rather than guidance of the tilt, and “angle of travel” could be ambiguous about what’s being angled.