Improving Manufacturing Processes

When looking for welding services or planning on welding DIY, you should know that there are different techniques used. The choice of a particular technique is crucial because it determines whether the bond will be weak or strong and whether corrosion might occur. Additionally, different techniques are required for different metals and metal alloys. Here are the two most common techniques used:

MIG (Metal Inert Gas) Welding

This technique can be used on steel, stainless steel and aluminium. It is considered the easiest technique to learn and the quickest method you can use to achieve quick and clean results. Though it can be used outdoors by more experienced welders, it is recommended to use it indoors to avoid contamination caused by outdoor elements. The surface must be clean of paint and rust before welding begins.

The MIG welding process utilises a wire that is passed through the welding gun to the welding surface. There is also another outlet that emits an inert shield gas. This gas is supposed to protect the joint from contamination. When this wire comes into contact with the welding surface, there is an electric current that forms a hot arc that melts the wire. As it melts, the wire is continuously fed through the welding gun channel at a constant pre-selected speed. The melted wire is what welds the joint together.

You might also come across a flux-cored welding process that resembles the MIG welding process. The only difference is the absence of the inert shielding gas. A flux-cored wire is self-shielding, meaning it does not require a shielding gas. Such a wire allows you to work outdoors easily without worrying about contamination.

TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) Welding

This technique can be used on steel, stainless steel, aluminium and its alloys, copper and its alloys, brass, magnesium, titanium, etc. It is considered a complex process and, therefore, tends to be slow. Since it is complex, you can tell that it has high precision and delivers high-quality welding.

Contrary to the MIG technique, there is no wire fed through the welding gun. Instead, you are required to introduce a filler metal and use the tungsten welding gun to heat it. This means you will use two hands: one to hold the filler metal to be melted and the other to hold the tungsten welding gun. The TIG method is similar to the MIG technique in that it requires an inert gas as well to prevent contamination.

To learn more, contact welders in your area.