Welding is essentially a practice used to join separate metals to form a permanent bond. Unlike other metal joining practices such as soldering, welding is known for its ability to create strong bonds that cannot be reversed. There are four distinct types of welding methods. The approach used on a job is often informed by the nature of the job and the expertise of the welder.
Common Welding Methods
Here are some common welding methods employed in meta-joining jobs in most workshops or industries.
MIG Welding
Metal inert gas (MIG) welding is a special type of arc welding. Like with traditional welding method, MIG relies on creating an arc between the welding rod and the base metal that melts the bond-forming rod, which merges the metals. However, the only difference between MIG and traditional welding is the fact that the welding machine supplies an inert gas welding continues to shield the weld from contaminants in the air.
TIG Welding
Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding is commonly referred to as TIC in engineering circles. It bears close similarities with MIG welding only that the filler rod employed here is made from tungsten. Like the MIG, this welding technique also utilizes an inert gas that improves the quality if the resulting weld. In most cases, this welding technique is employed in aluminum alloys.
Flux Core Welding
Unlike the two welding methods discussed above, flux cored welding method does not use an inert gas. However, it uses a fluxing agent to protect the weld. The consumable welding rod used here is often covered by these fluxing agent, which melts during the welding action creating a liquid slag. This welding method produces some spatter that must be cleaned after completing the job.
Stick Welding
This is one of the most common types of electric arc welding methods used today. This method relies on an electric current to melt the electrode, base metals, and the filler electrode at the same time. It is worth noting that two electrodes are used at the same makes this method somewhat challenging, especially to a beginner.
Depending on the approach used, each welder is expected to work on his or her welding techniques. If you are starting, you need to know what works for you and what does not.