Bevel

[citation needed] Bevelled edges are a common aesthetic nicety added to window panes and mirrors.

The bevel provides a smooth clean edge to the plate or pipe and allows a weld of the correct shape (to prevent center-line cracking) to join the separate pieces of metal.

[citation needed] Simple bevels can be used with a backup strip (thin removable sheet behind the plate joint) with chamfers (and a small land) being used on open root welds.

Particularly thick plate will have a J-shaped chamfer or U-shaped groove to reduce the amount of welding filler metal used.

[citation needed] Cruciform joint preparation can involve a double bevel to permit full penetration of each weld to the other, removing a possible void space in the center.