TYPES OF WELDING

ARC WELDING
Arc welding is the process of
welding with an arc's heat as a heat source.
During arc welding, the electrode (welding
rod or wire) receives a positive voltage,
whereas the base material receives a
negative voltage. As a result, an arc forms
between the base material and the electrode.
Usually, some shielding gas, mist, or
slag is used to protect the welding region.
This is because ambient air interacting with
the weld pool can cause oxidation. The
temperatures produced by this electric arc
can reach 6300°F (3500°C), which is high
enough to melt metals like carbon steel.

Types of Arc Welding include:

 Shielded metal arc welding
- Also known as stick welding, this is the most common and cost-effective type of arc
welding.
 Flux-cored arc welding
- This method uses consumable electrodes containing flux to fuse the base metal in the
weld joint.
 Gas tungsten arc welding
- Also known as TIG, this method uses a tungsten electrode to deliver an electric current to
the weld pool. It also requires a shielding gas, usually argon, to protect the weld metal.
 Gas metal arc welding
- This method uses an arc formed between a consumable metal electrode and the
workpiece. It also uses an externally supplied gaseous shield, such as argon or helium.
 Plasma arc welding
- This method uses an electric arc to heat inert gas to form plasma, which is then applied
to the metalwork pieces to melt and bond them together.
 Submerged arc welding
- This method uses flux as a shield of protection to avoid oxidation and protect the weld
zone.
 Atomic hydrogen welding
- This method uses an arc between two tungsten electrodes and hydrogen gas. The electric
arc breaks down the hydrogen molecules, which then recombine and produce a large
amount of heat.

Advantages of Arc Welding: Disadvantages of Arc welding:

 Suitable for high-speed welds  Not suitable for welding thin metals
 Simple welding apparatus  Requires skilled welders
 Portability as a result of the simple  Cannot be used for reactive metals
equipment like Aluminum or Titanium
 Can work on AC or DC
Metal Inert Gas Welding (MIG)

Metal Inert Gas Welding, or MIG, is an

additional welding technique that produces welds
using an electric arc. In contrast, a continuous solid
wire electrode used in MIG is heated and supplied
into the weld pool by a welding gun. A junction is
formed when the two base materials melt together.
The melted electrode in MIG welding makes
it easier to fuse the two metals together. MIG is
therefore perfect for combining different metals. In
order to prevent the weld pool from interacting with
the air and oxidizing the weld region, shielding gas
is also supplied through the welding gun.

Types of Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding include:

 Short Circuit MIG welding
- Short circuit is the coldest form of MIG welding and uses low voltage. In the short circuit
transfer process, the consumable electrode wire arcs, comes into contact with the base
material, and shorts.
 Globular MIG Welding
- The globular transfer technique is quite similar to the short circuit transfer technique, in
which the consumable electrode wire hits the base material, arcs, and shorts. The
consumable electrode's melting time makes a difference.
 Spray Arc MIG Welding
- The Spray Arc transfer method involves spraying tiny droplets of molten metal into the
weld joint from the consumable electrode. In this pure CV (constant-voltage) technique,
a steady stream of weld metal is sent to the base material across the arc. Due to its high
heat input, this approach only permits flat and horizontal weld positions and runs the risk
of burn-through on thinner materials.
 Pulsed MIG Welding
- The Pulsed MIG transfer method maximizes the benefits of each transfer method while
reducing its drawbacks. It is necessary to use a specialized power supply that pulses the
voltage numerous times per second for pulse MIG welding. This enables the formation of
a single droplet of molten metal at the end of the consumable wire and the current,
which is subsequently forced into the weld puddle across the arc.

Advantages of MIG welding: Disadvantages of MIG welding:

 Creates high-quality welds  Unsuitable for outside welding
 Minor weld splatter  Unsuitable for thick metals
 Can be used to join dissimilar metals  Needs metal preparation
 Can be fully or semi-automatic
 Good weld speed
Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding
Tungsten inert gas welding (TIG), often
referred to as gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW),
makes use of an inert shielding gas and a non-
consumable tungsten electrode. TIG welding
produces cleaner, spatter-free welds by enabling the
connecting of objects without the use of filler
material. This type of welding also calls for accuracy
and control, as the welder regulates the electrical
current flowing to the weld puddle with a foot pedal
or other tool.
AC and DC power sources are both
compatible with TIG welding. The ability of TIG
welding to fuse non-ferrous metals such as titanium,
nickel, copper, magnesium, aluminum, and so on is
one of its best features.
Race car fabrication, ship fitting, aerospace
manufacturing, and auto maintenance are just a few
of the industries that uses TIG welding. Compared
to other welding techniques, it is more expensive
and has a steeper learning curve, but it yields
stronger welds and is more versatile.

Types of Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding include:

 AC and DC
- These are the traditional types of TIG welding, but are not commonly used today. AC
welding is used for aluminum and magnesium alloys, while DC welding is used for steel,
stainless steel, and other metals.
 Cold wire welding and hot wire welding
- These types of TIG welding use a filler wire. Cold wire welding uses a normal filler wire,
while hot wire welding heats up the wire before use.
 Inverter-based power sources
- These are superior to the traditional types of TIG welding and use blend electrodes
instead of pure tungsten or tungsten + 2% thorium.

Advantages of TIG welding: Disadvantages of TIG welding:

 Very clean and strong welds  Time-consuming
 Offers a high degree of control to the  Needs skilled welders
welder  Cannot be used for thicker metal
 Can be used with or without filler joints
material
 Can be done in manual or automatic
methods
Flux-cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
Like MAG welding, flux-cored arc welding
(FCAW) uses a continuous wire-fed electrode, a
constant-voltage welding power supply, and
comparable tools. Flux cored arc welding comes in
two varieties: gas-shielded and self-shielded.
Based on the shielding technique, the FCAW
process can be classified as either using an external
shielding gas or relying alone on the flux core to
protect the weld area.
When applied, the shielding gas, which is
typically supplied externally from a high-pressure
gas cylinder, prevents oxidation of the weld pool.
The slag development protects the weld metal from
flux melting as well.
The method depends on the protection
provided by the flux-cored electrode itself in
situations where an external shielding gas is not
utilized. In addition to offering gaseous protection,
this electrode coats and shields the molten metal in
the weld with slag.

Types of Flux-cored Arc Welding (FCAW) include:

 Gas-shielded
- Similar to gas metal arc welding (GMAW)
 Self-shielded
- Does not require an external shielding gas

Advantages of flux-cored arc welding: Disadvantages of flux-cored arc welding:

 Excellent weld penetration  Can result in slag inclusion
 Suitable for thicker joints  Flux-cored wires are more expensive
 Flexibility in terms of torch movement  Weld is often not aesthetically
and orientation pleasing.
 The highest metal deposition rate
Gas Welding
Gas welding is one of the oldest forms of
heat-based welding and is used in many
industries. The process of gas welding involves
heating the materials to be welded in order for
them to melt and fuse. Filler metal can be used
with or without gas welding. There are various
kinds of gas welding methods, such as oxy-
gasoline and oxy-acetylene welding.
With the use of a welding torch, the flame
is managed. The welding torch is attached to
both a fuel and oxygen gas canister. By adjusting
the quantity of gases supplied to the torch with a
pressure regulator, the welder may manage the
flame.
A gas mixture of oxygen and acetylene is
most frequently observed, and it can produce up
to 3200°C (5792ºF). Butane, propane, and
hydrogen are other fuel gases that are also used
in gas welding.

Types of Gas Welding include:

 Oxy-acetylene welding
- A common technique that uses acetylene and oxygen to create a flame that can reach
3,500°C. This flame can weld a variety of metals.
 Oxy-hydrogen welding
- Combines oxygen and hydrogen to create a flame that can reach 2,800°C.
 MAPP gas welding
- Uses a gas mixture of methylacetylene, propadiene, and petroleum. This mixture is
more inert than other gas mixtures, making it safer to use and store.
 Butane or Propane welding
- Butane and propane are similar gases that can be used individually as fuel or
combined. They have lower flame temperatures than acetylene and are less costly and
easier to transport.
 Oxy-gasoline Welding
- Oxy-gasoline welding supplies a mixture of pressurized gasoline as welding fuel and
oxygen to the welding torch. This mixture works well as a cost-saving method to cut
thick steel.

Advantages of gas welding: Disadvantages of gas welding:

 Easily portable equipment  Not suitable for very thin sections
 Superior flame control  Lower temperatures than arc
 Low cost and maintenance welding
 Can also be used for Gas Cutting  Harder to flux shield
 Cheaper equipment cost  Not suitable for reactive metals
References:
Vyas, K. (2021, February 6). Types of welding: applications, advantages, and disadvantages.
Interesting Engineering.
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disadvantages