Which process corresponds to FCAW-S?

• A. FCAW-S
• B. SMAW
• C. GMAW
• D. GTAW

Answer: (A)

FCAW-S is the self-shielded version of flux-cored arc welding. In this process, the electrode is a flux-core wire that provides its own shielding gas from the flux as it burns, so no separate shielding gas is required. That’s why the round function of this method is to weld with a flux-cored electrode while relying on the shielding built into the electrode itself.

This differs from processes that use solid wires with external gas or other welding methods. For example, a process using a solid wire and an externally supplied shielding gas is a gas-shielded flux-cored or MIG process, while shielded metal arc welding uses a consumable coated rod, and tungsten inert gas welding uses a non-consumable electrode with inert gas. Among these, FCAW-S specifically refers to flux-cored arc welding that self-shields, rather than relying on an external gas supply.