Welding helmet: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

Welding helmet

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	Welding helmet
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	Topics Welding helmet Topic Home Welding helmets are headgear used when performing certain types of weldingFacts About Welding Welding is a fabrication process that joins materials, usually metals or thermoplastics, by causing coalescence.... to protect the eyes, face and neck from flash burn, ultraviolet light, sparks and heat. Most commonly used with arc weldingArc welding Arc welding refers to a group of welding processes that use a welding power supply to create an electric arc between an elec... processes such as shielded metal arc weldingShielded metal arc welding Overview Shielded metal arc welding, also known as manual metal arc welding or informally as stick welding, is a manual ... and gas metal arc weldingGas metal arc welding Gas metal arc welding, sometimes referred to by its subtypes, metal inert gas welding or metal active gas welding... , welding helmets are necessary to prevent arc eyeArc eye Arc eye, also known as arc flash, welder's flash, corneal flash burns, or flash burns, is a painful ... , a painful condition where the corneaFacts About Cornea The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber, providing most of an ... is inflamed. Welding helmets can also prevent retinaRetina The retina is a thin layer of neural cells that lines the back of the eyeball of vertebrates and some cephalopods.... burns, which can lead to a loss of vision. All welding helmets include a small window, called a lens shade, through which the welder looks at the weld. In older helmets, the window can be made of darkly tinted glass, or perhaps a pair of polarized lenses. In more modern helmet designs, transparent material that darkens automatically when exposed to the flare of a welding arc are more common. Either type, however, is susceptible to damages such as cracks that can compromise the protection from ultraviolet rays. In addition to the lens shade, the helmet has a shroud around the face to protect it from hot metal sparks generated by the arc. Some older models have a leather covering protecting the neck and shoulders as well.