How Welding Processes are Classified
Welding is a crucial industrial process used to join two or more pieces of metal together, and it’s a skill that requires patience and precision. The process has been around for centuries, but it has continued to evolve and become more precise. In order to understand how welding works, it’s important to understand how welding processes are classified.
Types of Welding
Welding is divided into two main categories: fusion welding and solid-state welding. Fusion welding is the most common type of welding and involves using heat to melt the pieces of metal together. The most popular types of fusion welding are arc welding, gas welding, and tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding.
Solid-state welding, on the other hand, relies on pressure rather than heat to join the pieces of metal together. The most popular types of solid-state welding include forge welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding.
Welding Arc Processes
Arc welding processes are the most common type of welding and use electric arcs to create heat. This heat is then used to melt the joining materials and create a strong bond.
The most popular types of arc welding processes include shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux-cored arc welding, and gas tungsten arc welding.
Shielded metal arc welding is the most basic form of arc welding, and it uses a consumable electrode to generate an arc and create a weld pool. This process is often used to weld steel, stainless steel, and cast iron.
Gas metal arc welding, or GMAW, is a process that uses a consumable wire electrode and an inert gas to shield the weld from contaminants. This process is often used to weld aluminum, stainless steel, and nickel alloys.
Flux-cored arc welding, or FCAW, is a process that uses a flux-cored wire electrode to create an arc and create a weld pool. This process is often used to weld thicker metals, such as steel and stainless steel.
Gas tungsten arc welding, or GTAW, is a process that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode to create an arc. This process is often used to weld thin metals, such as aluminum and stainless steel.
Welding Solid State Processes
Solid-state welding processes are used to join two pieces of metal without the use of heat. These processes rely on pressure to create a bond between the two pieces of metal.
The most popular types of solid-state welding processes include forge welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding.
Forge welding is a process that uses pressure to forge the two pieces of metal together. This process is often used to weld steel and cast iron.
Friction welding is a process that uses friction to create a bond between two pieces of metal. This process is often used to weld aluminum and other soft metals.
Ultrasonic welding is a process that uses high-frequency vibrations to create a bond between two pieces of metal. This process is often used to weld plastics and other soft materials.
Conclusion
Welding is an essential industrial process used to join two or more pieces of metal together. Welding processes are divided into two main categories: fusion welding and solid-state welding. Fusion welding processes use heat to melt the pieces of metal together, while solid-state welding processes use pressure to create a bond between the pieces of metal.
The most popular types of welding processes include shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, flux-cored arc welding, and gas tungsten arc welding for fusion welding, and forge welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding for solid-state welding.
Learning how welding processes are classified is essential for understanding how the different welding processes work. Knowing the differences between the different welding processes can help you choose the best process for your welding application.
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