What is the effect of moving too slow during TIG welding?

• A. Narrow bead and poor penetration
• B. No change in bead width
• C. Deep penetration
• D. Wide bead and overheating

Answer: (D)

Travel speed controls heat input per unit length in TIG welding. When you move the torch too slowly, you heat a smaller area for a longer time, which increases heat input. That extra heat makes the molten pool spread wider, yielding a wider bead, and it can push more heat into the surrounding metal, leading to overheating, distortion, or even burn-through if extreme. So the visible effects are a wide bead with overheating tendencies, rather than a narrow bead or no change. Short, fast travel would more likely cause a narrow bead and poor fusion, which is why the slow-motion scenario produces the wide, overheated weld described here.