Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding, also sometimes called Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) is a process that was developed in the 1940s for welding aluminum and other non-ferrous metals. MIG welding is an automatic or semi-automatic process in which a wire connected to a source of direct current acts as an electrode to join two pieces of metal as it is continuously passed through a welding gun. A flow of an inert gas, originally argon, is also passed through the welding gun at the same time as the wire electrode. This inert gas acts as a shield, keeping airborne contaminants away from the weld zone.
Advantages and Disadvantages of MIG Welding
The primary advantage of MIG welding is that it allows metal to be welded much more …show more content…
The filler rod is another important aspect of TIG welding. Usually made from the same material as the base metal, it is used for reinforcing joints and welding heavy metals.
There are several different types of joints designed for use with TIG welding. These include the butt joint, lap joint, corner joint and t-joint. The butt joint can be welded without the assistance of a filler rod. With this type of joint, two pieces of metal are joined together along the seams.
With a lap joint, the top edge is welded to the bottom piece in an area between the two overlapping metals. A corner joint involves welding one piece of metal at a right angle to the edge of a second piece of metal in order to form a corner. To create a t-joint, a filler rod is necessary. The t-joint is created by placing one piece of metal perpendicular to another piece of metal to form a T shape. This type of TIG welding is done along either side of the perpendicular seam.
Advantages and Disadvantages of TIG Welding
Advantages
1. No flux is used, hence there is no danger of flux entrapment when welding refrigerator and air conditioner components.
2. Because of clear visibility of the arc and the job, the operator can exercise a better control on the welding process.
3. This process can weld in all positions and produces smooth and sound welds with less spatter.
4. TIG welding is very much suitable for high quality welding of thin materials (as thin as 0.125 mm)
5. It is a very good process