Air carbon arc gouging (CAC-A), in which an arc between a copper-coated carbon electrode and the work melts metal and a jet of compressed air blows it out of the groove. It is the standard way to back gouge the second side of CJP welds to sound metal and to remove defective welds before repair. It is very loud and throws molten metal, and gouged surfaces are ground to remove the carbon-rich skin before rewelding.
Arc gouging the back side till it's clean, then grind it and get MT before the second side goes in.
Also heard as
- air arc
- arc-air
- CAC-A
- air carbon arc gouging
- gouging
Related terms
CJP
Complete joint penetration: a groove weld that fuses through the full thickness of the joint.
Cutout
Shop word for a rejected weld that has to be removed completely and rewelded, especially on pipe.
Burner
Shop name for the tradesperson who does torch cutting, or for the cutting torch itself.
Plasma arc cutting
Cutting with an arc squeezed through a small nozzle into a hot, fast gas jet that melts and blows out a narrow kerf.