Which of the following is NOT one of the three most common types of electric arc welding?

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

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is to recognize which arc welding processes are typically listed as the standard trio. The three most commonly taught and used are shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW, often called MIG), and gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW, often called TIG). Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) is widely used and very productive, but it’s usually considered a variation or subtype of GMAW because it relies on a flux-filled electrode and can be self-shielded or gas-sh Shielded, rather than being treated as one of the core three distinct processes. That’s why Flux-Cored Arc Welding is the option that isn’t counted among the three main types in many curricula and exams.