Every trade has its shorthand, and fabrication conversations move faster when both sides speak it. Here are 25 terms that cover most of what appears in quotes, drawings and shop calls—defined the way they are actually used.
Terms about the work itself
Weldment — a part built by welding pieces together. Fit-up — positioning parts for welding; good fit-up is half of weld quality. Fixture — tooling that holds parts in position for repeatable builds. Kerf — the material a cut removes; nesting accounts for it. Nesting — arranging parts on a sheet to minimize waste. Flat pattern — the unfolded blank that becomes a bent part. Springback — metal’s partial return after bending, compensated by over-bending.
Terms about welding
Fillet weld — the triangular weld joining surfaces at an angle; fabrication’s workhorse. Penetration — how deep a weld fuses into the base metal. HAZ (heat-affected zone) — base metal changed by welding heat without melting. WPS — the qualified written recipe a code weld follows. Spatter — droplets scattered by welding, removed before finishing. Heat tint — discoloration on stainless welds, removed to restore corrosion resistance. NDT — nondestructive testing that examines welds without harming them.
Terms about materials
Mill test report (MTR) — the certificate tracing steel to its production heat. Gauge — sheet-thickness numbering where bigger means thinner. Schedule — pipe wall-thickness designation. AR plate — abrasion-resistant steel for wear surfaces. Passivation — chemical restoration of stainless steel’s protective layer. Galvanic corrosion — one metal sacrificing itself to another in wet contact.
Terms about drawings and quotes
RFQ — request for quote; the package quality decides the quote quality. Tolerance — allowed variation on a dimension; precision costs, so spend it where it matters. Revision — the drawing version; shops build to the rev on the PO. First article — the first production part inspected fully before the run continues. Lead time — calendar time from order to delivery, governed by more than shop speed.
Frequently asked questions
No—plain language works fine. The glossary helps you read what comes back.
“Pipe” for structural tube—they are different sizing systems, and the mix-up causes real fitting problems.
Structural, lifting and documented work—anywhere a specification governs acceptance.
Tolerance—understanding that precision is bought per-feature changes how drawings get made.
Speak shop, get better quotes
A & P Fabricating Solutions, LLC translates plain-language requests into finished steel every day at our Appleton, Wisconsin shop. Glossary or no glossary, start at the quote request page.
