Common Welding Services Used in Industrial Fabrication
Both industry and manufacturing serve as the society’s foundation. With such, we are able to have high quality living and holds promising future. However, the manufacturing as well as industrial sectors will not come in existence without structures, equipment as well as resources made by industrial fabrication and for that, industrial fabrication would not be available without welding.
Let us look on how welding plays an important role in industrial fabrication and the different kinds of welding services.
SMAW – it stands for Shielded Metal Arc Welding or sometimes called as stick welding. Here, the stick is referring to the electrode coated in protectant flux. Electrode holder is holding the stick in place and then, an electric arc is achieved by using either alternating or direct current. In return, this causes the electrode to melt slowly while melting the metals that has to be joined.
At the same time, the flux coating is releasing a gas vapor along with the slag creates a shielded environment that serves as protection to weld the area from any sort of contamination.
GTAW – this is referred as Gas Tungsten Arc Welding and like the name suggests, it is using tungsten electrode to be able to produce weld. If you’re going to compare SMAW welding, the electrode is not consumed in the welding process. Rather, the welded area is protected from atmospheric contamination by inert gas which is often Helium gas or Argon.
GMAW – referred as Gas Metal Arc Welding, it makes use of consumable wire electrode fed through welding gun. Inert shielding gas like Argon or perhaps, mixture of carbon dioxide and argon is sprayed over the welding puddle to be able to protect it from contamination.
Because of the relative ease and versatility that MIG welding has, it is not surprising why it is now the most used method of welding in various industrial settings. However, if you are going to use it in an area with high air volatility or any outdoor setting, then you may not be able to see its fullest potential.
FCAW – Flux Cored Arc Welding or FCAW has strong similarity with MIG welding but FCAW is using special tubular wire that is then filled with flux. Flux is sometimes enough to be used to protect the welding puddle from contamination or shielding gas may be utilized which will depend on filter material and the situation.
SAW – it means Submerged Arc Welding and uses consumable electrode that’s automatically fed. It is using characteristic blanket of granular fusible flux which consists of various compounds similar to lime, silica, calcium fluoride as well as manganese oxide. This combination is then submerged completely to be able to protect the welding area.