What term describes the joining of metal by heating them to their melting point?

The term that describes the joining of metal by heating them to their melting point is welding. Welding involves the process of melting the base metals and often adding a filler material to form a strong joint once the molten metal cools and solidifies. This technique is widely used in various industries due to its ability to create strong, permanent connections between metal parts.

Fusing typically refers to the process of melting materials together but is often used in different contexts such as glasswork rather than metals. Soldering is another method of joining metals, but it operates at much lower temperatures than welding, where a filler metal is melted and flows into the joint without melting the base metals. Forging, on the other hand, is a process of shaping metal using compressive forces, usually at high temperatures, but does not involve melting to create a joint. Each of these processes has its specific applications and characteristics, making welding distinct in its method of joining metals at their melting point.