Fillet Welding - Definitions

In order for the survey of bevel types with varying bevel angle to become sensible it is necessary to define some concepts used in this context.

The automatic selection of bevel against other structures, e.g. in a plate edge against the shell, is - for a certain production line - in principle dependant on two factors, namely the

thickness of plate and - primarily - on the angle between the plate and the surface against which it is welded (=connection surface). This angle is here called the connection angle

and is in each point measured in a normal plane to the part contour. It is measured relative to the normal of the mould plane of the part in the direction from where it is regarded. For a plate part this is the direction of the positive w-axis of its local co-ordinate system, for a profile (web) it is the mould line side, for a profile flange it is the top view direction. The

connection angle is said to be positive if it creates an open "wedge" in this direction, negative otherwise, see the figures below. The connection angle is in this document denoted CON.

Figure 1:37 Definition of connection angle.

From the previous figure with a plane panel it might not be directly obvious how to define the connection angle for a stiffener. Therefore the figure below shows two stiffeners with

different connection angle. The connection angle is, once again, denoted CON.

Figure 1:38 Definition of connection angle for a shell stiffener.

As can be seen, it is important in which direction the flange is pointing. The connection angle is said to be negative, if the flange is pointing away from the surface. And positive

otherwise. (Of course, not every stiffener has a flange with a unique direction, but you can always temporarily change to e.g. an L-bar).

In a bevel type with varying angles parts of the bevel section may be tightly connected to the connection surface. However there is also a possibility that some angles are fixed, or that a bevel angle is set equal to the connection angle with a certain angular offset. This offset is below referred to as DIFF, see the figure below for an example.

Figure 1:39 Example of "angular offset"