Welding is one of the most important industrial processes there is today. Without it most of the things that we take for granted would be impossible to create. There are several types of welding that are used today and each one has certain characteristics that makes them perfect for certain situations. Here are some of the common welding types that are used in the in the industry and in workshops today:
Shielded Metal Arc Welding
SMAW is the oldest and the simplest form of welding in use today. It is also one of the most versatile with a great number of applications. A welding arc is created by touching the tip of an electrode that is coated with a special material and then withdrawing it quickly. The trick is to ensure to maintain enough distance so that the arc is not discontinued.
The arc will then generate enough heat to melt a part of the electrode, the metal surface, and the coating. The melted portion of these materials will then form the weld. The advantage of this form of welding is that it does not need anything more complicated than the power supply, cables, and the holder for the electrode. This form of welding is commonly used in construction work and in ship yards. It is also utilized for welding in remote locations.
Metal Inert Gas
MIG welding is also called Gas Metal Arc Welding or GMAW. This welding technique uses a wire made from aluminum alloy as an electrode and a filler material. MIG welding uses a direct current power supply with the electrode serving as the positive terminal. This form of welding can be used in all positions because of the way that that the weld material is applied to the metal surface. Unlike some other forms of welding it is not dependent on gravity to ensure that the weld will spread evenly.
Tungsten Inert Gas Welding
TIG welding is one of the more complicated forms of welding. The electrode for this form of welding is non melting and is made from tungsten which is a very strong but pliable metal. This form of welding can be used with or without a filler material. An inert gas like argon is used to protect the weld area from reacting with the air.
Submerged Arc Welding
This form of welding utilizes a flux for protecting the weld area. It prevents sparks and spatter by covering the whole welding area. This form of welding is very efficient but is limited to welding in the horizontal position.
Plasma Arc Welding
This form of welding utilizes gases and electrodes in order to create an extremely hot plasma that can penetrate and melt metals quickly. This form of welding is useful for creating deep but narrow welds.
Electroslag Welding
This form of welding uses molten metal deposited on the space between the two materials to be welded together which is then prevented from running off until it is sufficiently cooled.
These are the 6 more common forms of welding that are used today. There are others out there like metal brazing or laser welding but these 6 should form the backbone of your welding skill set.