The importance of a welding helmet in a welder’s life is indescribable. It’s impossible to do welding work without helmets since the job includes health risks, especially for the eyes. Something is needed to protect your eyes from the flames that are created from the welding work. Welding helmets do this vital work and save your most essential organ from facing any damage. And among the many kinds of helmets, auto-darkening is the best. Now, you may be wondering how does auto darkening welding helmets work? And why is it considered best?
We are going to talk about these exciting facts today. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
How Does Auto Darkening Welding Helmets Work: Answer
The wait is over, and now we will reveal to you the open secret of an auto-darkening welding helmet’s working system. First, let us tell you about some components that the lenses of an auto-darkening welding helmet consist of.
Those components are the key elements that provide safety to your eyes. The three key components are LC cell, polarisation filter and IR/UV interference filter.
So, it’s the lenses that work to bring the effect of auto-darkening. They start working altogether just at the moment you have stricken an arc. Make sure to keep your helmet’s position right and use electricity to manipulate the layers of LC cells to make them stay in their proper places.
While sticking on the arc, its flash will be sensed by the LC cells and layers of the welding helmet. The polarization filters of the lenses will start to work automatically and make the welding helmet lens either go darker or lighter depending on the intensity of the flash.
Although it’s 100% safe to use, even if it fails to work correctly, follow the safety feature mentioned on the helmet packaging. It mainly works correctly when the position is correct. Therefore, get to know the angles and use them at angles you are told to use these great welding helmets successfully.
Since welding jobs include flames and flashes, both of these can do serious harm to your various organs if they are kept open. There are some safety tips a professional welder always keeps in mind and follows each.
We have pointed them out for your well-being. Let’s lay our eyes on them and get you to know the things you should do before starting welding.
- You will always be given a book regarding using your welding helmet. You must read that and do just as mentioned there carefully
- This particular kind of aprons is made for keeping you safe while welding. You should wear one of those welding aprons and be sure to button them up properly.
- Do not forget to wear gloves because your hands are at most risk, which will save them from getting harmed.
- Of course, wearing a welding helmet is a must. It will offer safety to your eyes and save the whole face by covering it.
- Must wear boots or shoes that are made of high-quality leather. Such shoes will give the proper protection to your feet.
- Don’t get nervous while welding, and breathe freely. It will relax your muscles and help you out welding fine.
- Do not look at the lights. Looking directly at the lights will harm your eyes for sure.
Why Do You Need a Welding Helmet
If you are new to the welding working world, you probably have the question in your mind that why do you need a welding helmet? The answer is simple, to be honest. No matter what you weld, there will be flashes and flames of fire.
If accidentally they come in touch with your skin or any other organ, they will cause damage instantly. A welding helmet covers the vital parts of your body, which are the face and eyes. Wearing it means you have shielded yourself, and there is no more danger. If you want to avoid it, you will have to face accidents that you don’t want to happen.
Different Types of Welding Helmets
Welding helmets have different kinds. Chiefly the welding helmets are of 6 types. We are about to take a look at them each below, one by one.
1. Passive Helmets
These helmets are the simplest yet effective. Generally, they are produced using solid materials. They are even built very well. However, these are not modernized but can save the wearer from extreme emitted heat, ultraviolet rays and flying objects.
2. Auto Darkening
This kind of helmet has a unique feature that automatically can darken or lighten the helmet lens. It helps to keep your eyes safe. Depending upon the produced flashes, the polarised filters change the lens and help you keep watching things while welding.
3. The Solar-powered
Some of the auto-darkening welding helmets have a lack that is having a fixed battery inside, and that is not changeable. The manufacturer created solar-powered helmets to overcome this. They are not only environmentally friendly but also super protective.
4. The Battery-powered
Some battery-dependent welding helmets have fixed batteries inside, and some are replaceable. It’s better to buy replaceable ones. The battery-powered helmets work almost the same as the auto-darkening helmets.
5. The Fixed-shade
A welding helmet is a fixed shade. Sadly, these are not able to control the brightness with the changes of flashes. So, purchasing it would be a good choice only when you plan on one type of welding work.
6. The Variable-shade
These are not auto-darkening, but of course, there is one big reason to have one of these helmets. The feature added to this helmet is enabling its lens to adopt all kinds of shades of light. These are perfect for use in various projects, especially when the welder needs to work on different materials.
Most welders prefer auto-darkening over other welding helmets. The reasons are plenty. Its availability, affordability, durability and outstanding service make it a number one choice. We hope our explanation to you on how does auto darkening welding helmets work gave you a clear concept.
Now that you know it’s safe for use get yourself an auto-darkening welding helmet and do your welding job with complete ease and zero worries.