The Importance Of Welding Machines
Welding is the process of joining two materials like
steel, aluminum, brass, stainless steel, plastic or polymer and fusing
is the equipment used in welding. Molten metal or plastic called ‘filler’,
is used to hold the pieces that are worked on, together. Different
kinds of energy sources can be used for welding materials like, gas
flame, an electric arc, a laser, an electron beam, friction or ultra
sound. There are different processes of welding like arc welding,
MIG welding and TIG
SMAW or Shield Metal Arc Welding
is also known as MMA or Manual Metal Arc or stick welding. This is used
for welding steel;, stainless steel and cast iron.
In this type of welding, a consumable electrode coated in flux is used
to lay the weld. Electric current is provided by the welding power supply.
This helps top make an electric arc between the electrode and the metals
that are joined. The flux coating disintegrates and this results in
a shielding gas which gives a layer of slag. The weld area is protected
from any impurity by the slag and the shielding gas. The equipment needed
for this type of welding are: continuous power supply, an electrode,
an electrode holder and a work clamp.
MIG welding means Metal
Inert Gas welding. This is also called Gas
Metal Arc Welding or GMAW. This is used for joining aluminum
with other non-ferrous metals. It is used to join many types of alloys
and metals. There is very little splatter in this type of welding.
This method is quicker that other traditional methods like the “stick
welding method”. A continuous, consumable wire electrode
and shielding gas are fed with a welding gun. A constant
power source is required for welding steel or aluminum.
This type of welding is mainly used in the sheet metal industry and
is thus heavily used in the automobile industry. The equipments required
are: a welding gun, a wire feed unit, a shielding gas supply and an
TIG welding means Tungsten
Inert Gas welding. Reactive metals like magnesium and aluminum
can be joined together with this process. Welding is done manually.
With this method, different kinds of joints like the lap joint,
the butt joint, the corner joint and the t-joint
can be welded. When TIG
welding process is used, oxidation is prevented. It needs
a non consumable tungsten electrode and an individual filler material.
An arc is made between the pointed tungsten electrode and the area
that has to be welded. Since gas shield is used, the welding that
is formed is very clean and neat. For shielding an inert gas is used.
Thin metals can be joined well with this type of welding. It is used
for welding aluminum, magnesium alloys, steel, stainless
steel, copper, brass and titanium.
FCAW or Flux Cored Gas Welding Gasless
needs wire fed welding machines. In this process the metal
is heated, melted and then joined together. The joining is done by
continuously fed, consumable tubular electrode wire. Constant electric
power supply is required for this method. In this high speed welding
can be done and it is also portable. So, it is best used in the construction
industry. It is generally used in steel, stainless steel and rusty
Arc welding needs inexpensive equipment
and requires electric current. Resistance
welding needs costly equipment and requires the use of
additional sheets of metals to encase the material that has to be
welded. A modern technique is laser beam welding
or energy beam welding. This is very expensive but
is also fast and accurate. Welding is becoming automated these days.
The use of welding robots is done in the automobile industry.
The right type of welding
machine has to be used to fuse two types of materials
together otherwise the result will not be what is required. You should
know for what purpose it is going to be used. Then you should choose
the type of welding machine, the power supply needed,
whether it is portable, what other tools and accessories might be
needed with the welding machine. The accessories that might be needed
are: the torch, the welding
helmet, the welding gauntlet, goggles and the welding
Thus, the welding machines are definitely important
and need to be bought and used with great care.