Arc Welding

History of Arc Welding

 Arc welding dates back to the late 1800’s
 First developed following the invention of AC
electricity
 Pioneered when a man was welding with a
bare metal rod on iron, the sparks from the
welding caught a stack of newspapers on fire
near him and while welding, he noticed that
his welds started looking a lot better. The
reason for this was the smoke took the
oxygen out of his welding environment and
decreased porosity.
What is Arc Welding?
 Thefusing of two or more pieces of
metal together by using the heat
produced from an electric arc welding
machine.
Basics of Arc Welding
 The arc is struck between the
electrode and the metal. It then heats
the metal to a melting point. The
electrode is then removed, breaking
the arc between the electrode and
the metal. This allows the molten
metal to “freeze” or solidify.
How an arc is formed?
 The arc is like a flame
of intense heat that is
generated as the
electrical current passes
through a highly
resistant air gap.
 Welding Processes

 SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding)

 GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding)
 GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding)
 Oxygen/ Fuel Welding
 SMAW
 Alsoreferred to as “Stick Welding”
 Used for everything from pipeline welding,
farm repair and complex fabrication.
 Uses a “stick” shaped electrode.
 Can weld: steel, cast iron, stainless steel, etc.
 Can also hardface with correct electrode.
Examples of
SMAW Welds
GMAW
 Also referred to as “MIG” welding
 Uses a shield gas and a continuous
wire electrode
 Used for all types of fabrication
 Great for thin metals up to ¼”
 Excellent speed of deposition
 Used for metals such as: steel,
aluminum and stainless steel.
GMAW
Welds
MIG Welding Benefits
 Allposition capability
 Higher deposition rates than
SMAW
 Less operator skill required
 Long welds can be made without
starts and stops
 Minimal post weld cleaning is
required
 GTAW
•Also referred to as “TIG” Welding
•Uses a shield gas, a non-
consumable tungsten electrode and
a hand fed filler rod
•Excellent for welding thin metals,
pipeline welding and exotic metals
•Highly skilled labor needed for this
process
GTAW Welding Benefits

 Superior quality welds

 Welds can be made with or
without filler metal
 Precise control of welding variables
(heat)
 Free of spatter
 Low distortion
 Oxygen/ Fuel Welding
 Utilizesoxygen and a fuel gas to heat
metal until it is in a molten state and
fuse multiple pieces of metal together.
Can be used with or without a filler
rod.
 Great for brazing dissimilar metals
together.
 Older technology that can be replaced
by GTAW
Types of SMAW
Machines
 AC Welding Machine
Most common
type found in
homes, farms,
etc.
Good for farm
repairs, light
jobs.
Low cost
DC Welding Machines
 Often generator
type machines
 Diesel or gasoline
engine driven
 Portable
 Expensive
AC/DC Welders
 Can weld in AC
or DC polarity
 Less expensive
than DC
machine
 Quieter than
DC machine
Arc Welding
PPE