General Engineering Services: The Essence of Welding Process in Metal Fabrication
16 May 2023
Welding is an important process during metal fabrication projects as it can join two or more metal workpieces together without causing any issues or problems.
Manufacturers often opt for metal fabrication to generate a wide array of metal structures and products. With this process, metal workpieces are cut, bent, and assembled to create the desired output by various industries, which include construction and transportation.
One technique, however, that is integrated alongside metal fabrication processes is welding. It is an essential process in metal fabrication that joins two or more pieces of metal. Welding is done by melting and fusing metal workpieces together and requires a high level of skill and expertise to ensure that the needed structures and products are generated effectively.
Primary Types of Welding
Welding is the process of joining metals by melting the base metal and adding a filler material, if necessary, to create a strong, permanent bond. The process of welding can be grouped into two primary types: fusion welding and solid-state welding.
In fusion welding, the base metal is melted to generate a molten pool, and the filler metal is added to the molten pool. As the molten pool cools, the metals solidify, and a strong bond is formed. Solid-state welding, alternatively, does not involve melting the base metal. Instead, the metals are heated to a high temperature and held together until they bond.
Main Welding Techniques
There are several different welding techniques. Some of them are as follows.
• Gas metal arc welding (GMAW):GMAW is a process wherein an electric arc is struck between a consumable electrode wire and the workpiece. A shielding gas is then utilised to protect the weld area from atmospheric contamination. It can be used in manufacturing and construction applications as it is fast and can produce a high-quality weld.
• Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW): GTAW, also known as TIG welding, utilises a non-consumable tungsten electrode to produce the arc and a filler rod to add metal to the joint. GTAW can generate a high-quality weld with excellent control over the heat input, making it highly recommended for welding thin materials.
• Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW):SMAW is a welding process in which an electric arc is struck between a flux-coated electrode and the workpiece. The flux coating melts and forms a protective gas shield around the weld area. It can be used in construction, maintenance, and repair, making the welding process versatile.
• Flux-cored arc welding (FCAW):Ultimately, FCAW is a process that uses a tubular electrode instead of a solid wire. The tubular electrode contains flux that melts and forms a gas shield around the weld area. FCAW can be used on a variety of metals and produces a high-quality weld, making it useful in construction and manufacturing applications.
Welding Working Principles
Welding requires careful preparation and planning to ensure a successful weld. Before welding, the metals must be cleaned to remove any dirt, rust, or other contaminants. The joint must be properly prepared to ensure that the metals fit together tightly.
During welding, the welder must control the heat input to avoid overheating the metal, producing distortion, or causing other problems. They must also ensure that the weld area is protected from atmospheric contamination that can weaken the weld. After welding, the weld must be inspected through X-ray or ultrasonic testing so it can detect any defects in the weld and meet the required quality standards.
Welding requires a high level of skill and expertise, as well as careful preparation and planning to ensure a successful weld in metal fabrication. Contact Amon Engineering today so we can help you with your welding works.
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