What is the abbreviation for heat affected zone in welding?

The abbreviation for heat affected zone in welding is HAZ. The heat affected zone refers to the region of the base metal that has not melted but has undergone microstructural changes due to the heat of the welding process. This can lead to altered mechanical properties and performance characteristics of the metal, making it crucial to understand the HAZ when evaluating the integrity and strength of welded structures.

Other abbreviations like BCZ (not commonly recognized in welding terminology), PAZ (which might refer to pre-heating or post-weld treatments), and WZ (which commonly stands for weld zone), do not correctly represent the heat affected zone. Therefore, HAZ is the universally accepted term and abbreviation in the context of welding and metalworking.