The Different Welding Processes and Their Uses
Welding and fabrication is a dangerous task mostly because you are working with extreme heat, the same heat that is hot enough to melt steel. This is why when you need repairs or fabrication jobs and the said task is required, you need to call a professional welder to do the job for you. However, if you are the type of homeowner who has a home shop of your own and you want to add welding to your repertoire of skills, here are some of the welding process that you can use, as well as their uses:
Shielded Metal Arc
SMAW for short, or known informally as stick welding, shielded arc metal welding is a type of process that involves using a welding rod or a stick. The rod is consumable and you will need to replace it often. This welding process is useful for general fabrication jobs such as repairs or building metal structures or objects, and also, the easiest of all the processes to learn. All you really need to learn from this welding process is how to set the machine properly and how to maintain the arc and you are all set.
Oxy-Acetylene
Also called gas welding, you commonly see this welding process used in auto repair or body shops. This is because this welding process is useful for thin and sheet metals. Unlike stick welding, oxy-acetylene welding uses gas to start the welding arc. You also use a consumable wire to fuse two pieces of metal together. If you are repairing or building something and you are working with steel that is very thin or sheet metal. You can also use the torch to cut thick metal.
Flux Cored Arc
Also called automatic welding, this process is used for industrial purposes and welding metal that is so thick that even stick welding has problems fusing. This is also one of the more expensive welding processes, and also hard to learn.
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