Increased welding current results in which change to weld penetration?

• A. Same
• B. Greater
• C. Lesser
• D. Unknown

Answer: (B)

Weld penetration increases with heat input. Increasing welding current delivers more heat into the joint, which enlarges the molten pool and fuses more of the base metal downward into the joint. So, with everything else held constant (travel speed, material, setup), higher current produces greater penetration. (Be aware that too much current can cause burn-through or distortion.)