Which technique involves resting the rod and the torch on the surface of the pipe joint and 'walking' down the groove with small stepping movements?

• A. Cup walking
• B. Dipping
• C. Hot pass
• D. Cover pass

Answer: (A)

Cup walking is a technique used in TIG welding of pipe joints where the rod and the torch are rested in the cup on the joint surface, and you advance along the groove with small stepping motions. This approach keeps the arc length very consistent and provides stable heat input while the filler is deposited, which helps you maintain control in tight or narrow grooves and produce a uniform bead.

Dipping involves periodically dipping the filler into the molten pool, which isn’t about moving along the groove. Hot pass and cover pass refer to the sequence of weld passes in a multi-pass weld, not the motion technique along the groove. So the described method best matches cup walking.