Types of Electric Welding
Types of Electric Welding
Types of Electric Welding
Stick Welding
Wire Feed Welders
Flux Cored Arc Welding
TIG Welding
Resistance Spot Welding
Welds steel, stainless steel, cast iron, hard surfacing, and aluminum
The only electric process that can weld cast iron
Suited for windy, outdoor conditions
Can be used for welding on dirty or rusty metals with select filler metals
Economical
DC good for out-of-position welding.
MIG (Metal Inert Gas) Welding (also called GMAW or Gas Metal Arc Welding) joins
metals by heating them with an arc between a continuously fed wire (filler metal electrode)
and the work piece. Externally supplied gas or gas mixtures provide shielding (available
through the Thoroughbred Industrial Cylinder Exchange).
The type of shielding gas depends on the type of wire. For mild steel wire, the gas is C25
(that is, 75% Argon and 25% CO2) or CO2. For aluminum wire, the gas is Argon. For
stainless steel wire, the gas is called "tri-mix" (a mixture of Argon, CO2 and helium).
Stick
X
X
X
X
Resistance Spot
X
X
X
X
Moderate Low
Low
High
X
High
Low
PLASMA CUTTING
Plasma cutting works on all electrically conductive metals: steel, stainless steel, galvanized,
copper, brass, and aluminum. Plasma cutting uses an electric arc and compressed air to generate
its cutting power, so there is no need for gas cylinders. Plasma is known for producing clean
accurate cuts with a minimal heat affected area. Plasma cutting reduces warping, which makes it
a popular method for working with thin materials, such as in auto bodywork.