Many people think that manufacturing is dead or that it has all been outsourced to foreign countries. However, that is not the case. In many industrialised countries, manufacturing has actually increased over the last few decades. However, due to improvements in processes, more advanced machinery and even the rise of artificial intelligence, a lot of manufacturing is no longer done by a human. However, it's still critical. If you are a consumer, a product developer, or even someone who works in the industrial and manufacturing industries, check out these posts. They explain and explore a lot of the reasons why manufacturing is still important and arguably more important than it has been in years.
If you think that all welding services are alike, then it is time to think again. Welding is a highly skilled job that can be carried out in a number of ways. Some welding services are suitable for certain applications but are entirely unsuited to other jobs. Read on to discover the most common welding services on offer today.
Shielded metal arc welding, also known as SMAW, is sometimes simply referred to as stick welding. Conducted with the use of an electrode - which the stick referred to - the process first coats the workpiece in a protectant flux. Using an electrode holder to get it into the proper position, the electrode then causes an electric arc onto the workpiece using either AC or DC current. As a result of this power, the electrode slowly begins to turn to a liquid causing the metal work surfaces of each section to be joined.
Gas tungsten arc welding, or GTAW, utilises a special type electrode to produce a weld, much like shield metal arc welding does. Unlike the SMAW approach, the tungsten electrode is not used up as the welding process takes place. This process has the advantage that the weld area does not need protection from poisonous gasses, such as argon or helium, which can be the case with stick welding.
Gas metal arc welding, abbreviated to GMAW, is also sometimes called MIG welding. This technique is used in all sorts of steel fabrication projects. It makes use of a consumable wire electrode, this time one that is fed to the work area via a welding gun. An inert shielding gas is used with gas metal arc welding, commonly argon or a blend of CO2 and argon. This is sprayed around the welding area to protect it from contaminants that might gain access, thereby ensuring a very strong, high-quality weld. GMAW is a common welding method in industrial and fabrication settings thanks to it being highly versatile and its relatively simple-to-learn techniques. Nevertheless, it has a high air volatility, so it is unsuited to site work.
Submerged arc welding, or SAW, is a technique which uses an automatically fed consumable electrode. This approach means using a blanket of granular fusible flux. In most cases, this will be made up of several ingredients that include things like silica, calcium fluoride, manganese oxide and lime. It is called 'submerged' not because it is carried out underwater but because the granular flux completely submerges the area being worked on, thus fully protecting it.
Flux-cored arc welding, better known simply as FCAW, is not dissimilar to GMAW. Having said that, this process features the use of a flux which is held within a specially designed tubular wire. On its own, the flux is often sufficient by itself to protect the welded area from contamination. However, some welders choose to use a shielding gas as well. The decision as to whether to do so usually depends on the type of filler material being used.
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