The Different Types Of Welding Processes Explained

August 5, 2022

Welding is the process of fusing metals. It uses heat and pressure to create a permanent bond between the base metal, the filler metal, and the surrounding area. The process can be manual or mechanised and is used extensively in industry to join various metals or special alloys together to provide added strength and support. Below we explain what the different types of welding are.

Table of Contents

The Different Types Of Welding Processes Explained

A Man Is Welding A Piece Of Metal With A Green Light Behind Him — HardRok Engineering Pty Ltd In Mount Isa, QLD

1. Stick Welding

Stick welding is a good option if your project requires a lot of short welds with low heat input and minimal distortion. It’s also good for materials that are difficult to weld, like stainless steel or aluminium. Because of its low heat input, stick welding processes are used to join thin materials together.

Stick welding produces fusion bonds on the surface only and doesn't penetrate through the whole thickness of the material being joined. The process uses a power source with a constant current electric arc that flows through an electrode. This method is usually fairly cheap.

2. Mig Welding

Mig welding, also known as metal inert gas welding, is also an arc welding process that uses a sold wire electrode that gets heated. This is then fed into a weld pool from a welding gun. This process is usually completed through a machine as a semi-automatic procedure as the wire does everything for you. This type of welding is a great way into welding for beginners. It's usually completed with gas but can also be gasless.

3. Tig Welding

The heat source used in Tig welding (short for tungsten inert gas) is an electric arc, which is created between a non-consumable electrode and the weld joint before forming a pool of molten metal. This process happens on both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, but it's more commonly used to weld aluminium.

Tig welding uses a filler material that melts at lower temperatures than tungsten wire (welding rods). You choose the filler rod based on the type of base metal welded as well as its thickness and porosity—because these factors affect how easy it is for the filler rod to penetrate your workpiece. When you're done with each pass of your torch over an area, you'll want one pass going in either direction: up then down or vice versa depending on how high up from the surface level you need access while working with your torches.

4. Flux-cored Arc Welding

Flux-cored arc welding is a popular option for skilled welders as it enables high-quality welds in numerous types of material. This process is often used to join metals where there is limited access or when it's necessary to obtain a high-quality finish on the surface of the piece.

Flux-cored arc welding involves positioning your equipment correctly, ensuring that you have accurate gas flow and shielding gas settings. You can then begin feeding filler wire into your torch and heating your gun tip before applying this heated tip to the joint you're working on.

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