When it comes to the world of welding two of the most common forms are MIG and TIG. But what is the difference between these two welding formats? MIG welding provides a combination of speed and versatility and is one of the easier welding processes to learn. With TIG welding a permanent non-melting electrode made of tungsten is used and the process is more difficult to learn. Next, we take a closer look at these welding formats.
MIG welding was originally developed during World War II as a way to weld aluminum and increase productivity. By changing the welding wire and the shielding gas many materials can be welded by a MIG welder. People have described MIG welding to the likes of using a hot glue gun. Instead of glue a wire electrode with shielding gas is fed through a welding gun. When this happens a short circuit is created which produces heat that melts then fuses the metals together.
A conventional MIG weld uses a constant DC power source. When this is used the spray transfer is limited to a specific range of arc current. This ultimately limits the application of conventional MIG to weld metal above 4 mm in thickness. In addition MIG welding services include pulsed MIG. This format uses a DC power source with superimposed periodic pulses which create a high current. During the high current pulses, the metal is transferred within the spray mode. This way pulsed MIG is possible to operate with lower current and lower heat input compared to conventional MIG. This allows the welder to weld much thinner sections.
When it comes to TIG welding services the most frequently used power source generates alternating current or AC. In some cases with TIG welding DC-EN or electrode negative is used. When this is used it requires special attention because of the arc’s poor oxide cleaning action. Alternating current TIG welding uses argon as a shielding gas most often. This process is multipurpose and offers the user flexibility. When changing the diameter of the electrode, welding can be performed with a large range of heat which can be set at different thicknesses.
Alternate current TIG welding is possible with thicknesses down to 0.5 mm. Larger TIG welding is less economical compared to MIG welding because of the lower welding speed. TIG welding also requires high skills and attention to detail. The welder must hold the torch in one hand while he feeds the filler in the other hand. To strike an arc is essentially the most important part in the process of welding. When this happens a high frequency generator facilitates an arc formation by creating an initial trail through a shielding gas. Once the arc is struck, a welding pool is created by circling the torch around the initial welding area.
For more information on welding services, or if you actually need welding services, please don’t hesitate to contact Baron Machine Company today.