What Welding Method Is Best for Your Upcoming Job?
If you have a piece of equipment that has been seriously damaged in an incident of some kind, then you may be considering your options. The equipment itself is still valuable and can be pressed back into service once it has been repaired. You certainly don't want to replace it, due to the cost and hassle involved. Instead, you need to ensure that it is repaired and that the job is performed well so that you don't leave anything to chance. You will need to employ a welding technique to get the various parts repaired, but did you know that there are many different ways to do this? What are some of the most common welding methods available today?
Four Primary Options
Perhaps the best-known welding method is known as SMAW, or shielded metal arc welding. This was invented in the 19th century and involves a consumable electrode linked to a flux coated core wire. When power is applied to the wire and it is offered up to the metal, an electric arc is created with extremely high temperature. This will melt the electrode and fuse it to the metal to create the weld. Arc welding is ideal for heavy metals and is in widespread use throughout the construction and manufacturing industries.
MIG welding (aka metal inert gas welding) is a relatively new invention and features a gun that is linked to a consumable electrode. Gas is used to shield the work from excess oxygen which makes it more efficient and less heat-reliant. This type of welding is used for stainless steels, aluminium or copper and is typically found in the automotive industry as well as in certain facets of construction.
Flux core arc welding is similar in characteristics to stick arc welding, but it features a wire-filled flux instead of a solid wire. It can be used to weld particularly thick materials and is often the solution of choice when erecting steel.
Another method involves tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. This requires a very high degree of skill and it is time-consuming, so it's mostly found in jobs that require precision welds. It does produce high-quality output and can be employed on various alloys, but the material has to be particularly clean for best effect.
Your Choice
Talk with your welding repair service provider about your specific requirements, and they will be able to advise the best method in your case.