MIG Welding
Metal Inert Gas or MIG welding, occasionally referred to as Gas Metal Arc Welding, traces its roots to the 1940s when it was first used to weld aluminum and other non-ferrous metals. In the MIG welding process, a wire connected to a direct current source serves as the electrode needed to join two pieces of metal—the electrode always transmitted through a welding gun. Together with the wire electrode, a flow of inert gas such as argon also surges through the welding gun. Acting as a shield, the inert gas drives away airborne contaminants from the weld area.
Benefits and Drawbacks of MIG Welding
MIG welding, an automatic or semi-automatic welding method, is preferred by many as it is faster and easier to perform compared with manual stick welding. It is best used for welding softer metals like aluminum, which can easily sustain holes with the use of a slower-paced machine. While inert gas was rare in yesteryears, today MIG proponents can turn to widely available carbon dioxide as a means of shielding against contaminants. This has in turn made this welding process one of the most cost-effective.
On top of its compatibility with softer metals, MIG welding provides cleaner welds and can accommodate many other types of metals. Welders employing this method can expect to create long, continuous welds much more quickly than when they use other traditional techniques.
On the other hand, MIG welding equipment can prove more complicated as the process requires not just a direct current source and a constant source and flow of gas, but also a constantly moving wire electrode. Sold in various sizes, electrodes are made of different metal types to suit a wide range of welding applications.
Both newcomers and professional welders may have to spend more time and effort mastering MIG welding techniques, given that it works differently compared with traditional welding methods. For one, it requires welders to move the welding puddle away from them and along the seam. Further extending the learning curve is the fact that MIG welders must hold wire feeders and rely on continuously fed MIG welding wire using one setting, then later adjust the settings based on the type of material being welded.
MIG welding’s cost efficiency has made it the preferred welding method in the manufacturing industry. Automakers favor it for its clean welds and the speed by which it can be performed. Today, there are plenty of MIG welding opportunities in companies and industries requiring welding jobs on non-iron surfaces. The manufacturing, construction, and shipbuilding industries are top providers of MIG welding jobs as their production processes often require repair or maintenance work aided by MIG welding.
MIG welding machines come in various forms to suit a wide range of applications. Some require manual operation while others are capable of semiautomatic welding. Also available are units designed to perform automatic or machine welding.
In this welding process, the electrode is continuously fed, thus requiring a sliding electrical contact for the welding gun for it to be able to transport the welding current to the electrode. The gun must also be quipped with a nozzle and gas passage that will direct the shielding gas to the welding arc’s surrounding area and the weld pool. Because shielding MIG welding gas is used, MIG welding is often performed indoors and in other enclosed, windless areas.
MIG Welding
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