What Are The Different Types of Welding?

Are you feeling lost when it comes to choosing the type of welding service your business requires? 

Since there are many different types of welding, it’s important to find the process that best suits your business needs. If not, you could find yourself with poor-quality welds, which could lead to faults in the structure you are fabricating. 

Fortunately, Salamander Fabrications discusses all the different types of welding in our latest blog. We’ll cover the pros and cons of each welding process – so you know which one is the best fit for you and your business projects. 

We’ll also explain how our welding service at Salamander Fabrications can help provide you with efficiency as well as quality in your next welding project. 

Interested in another service? Get in touch at 01484 843599 to find out what else we offer.

The different types of welding

Welding activities are an important pillar in most modern construction, manufacturing, and building projects. But, using the wrong welding process can result in a poor quality weld – and even damage the structure you are creating.

That’s why it’s vital you’re aware of the different types of welding, so you know which service you require. 

Let’s take a look at some of the most common types of welding in more detail. 

MIG welding

MIG (metal inert gas) welding uses electricity to melt metal materials and join them together. In this process, a constant voltage power runs through an electrode wire (a positive anode) – which is delivered by a spool gun at a preselected speed – to create an electric arc (otherwise known as a short circuit). 

The arc operates between the electrode wire and the metal material that’s being welded (negative cathode). As it is a consumable material, the electrode wire is then deposited to create the weld. 

After melting together, the materials cool and are then able to form a solid joint. This process is performed on a direct current – meaning it only runs in one direction.

Ideal for:

• Producing equipment that needs to be durable – such as in the science and food industry
• Repairing equipment and machinery 

The pros:

• MIG welding can produce welds quickly, helping with the efficiency of any project
• Produces good quality welds as less spatter is created – which also means less clean-up is involved

Potential drawbacks:

• Not ideal for outdoor welding as weak and porous welds can occur, as slight breezes can disrupt the shielding gas
• Can be time-consuming as the spool will need changing when welding different materials

Robotic MIG welding

Robotic MIG welding is exactly like MIG welding, it simply uses automated technology to perform manual labour instead. 

It works by using a robotic welding system that conducts the entire MIG welding process from start to finish. Meanwhile, welders still operate the equipment and supervise the entire weld. 

Fed continuously through the robotic system, the filler wire features a hot electrified tip that melts the wire to create the weld once the materials have cooled. 

Ideal for:

• High-volume production projects because of its speed and efficiency, such as in the retail and leisure industry when consumer habits frequently change
• Businesses in the construction industry as the fabrications benefit from the strength and durability of welds produced

The pros:

• The use of robotic technology means the results are quicker and more precise, such as Salamander’s universal robot welder
• Automation also means welders aren’t performing dangerous tasks so there is greater safety in the welding process
  

Potential drawbacks:

• Requires skilled technicians who will need to understand the complexities of the system
• Robotic equipment will need to be maintained often to prevent faults from occurring

TIG welding 

A TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding process uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode to produce the weld. The fact the electrode is non-consumable means it won’t melt away during the process. Like MIG welding, it uses electricity to create a short circuit between the tungsten electrode and the metal being welded. 

TIG welding uses electricity to create an arc between a non-consumable tungsten electrode (a positive anode) and the metal being welded (a negative cathode).

Where it differs from MIG welding is that it is generally more difficult to operate. TIG welding uses a torch instead of a spool gun – meaning two hands are needed to perform the process. 

Ideal for:

• Projects that require specific welds, thanks to its precision 
• Welding stainless steel as it can produce corrosion-resistant welds – such as in food kiosk manufacturing
  

The pros:

• Since the tungsten electrode is non-consumable, the arc stays firmly in place and allows for more precision
• TIG welders also have more control over current and voltage settings, which helps prevent warping or burn-through

Potential drawbacks:

• The welding process itself is much slower so results won’t be as quick
• It is also a very complex and in-depth process which requires experienced and skilled welders

Spot welding

Spot welding is one of the most traditional methods of welding business use. Most projects that involve spot welding do so because it can join two or more metal sheets together at once. 

Metal sheets are cleaned and positioned between two copper alloy electrodes. These electrodes then apply pressure to the metal sheets to keep them in place. 

Meanwhile, as the resistance at the contact points generates heat – it causes the metals to fuse and weld together. The current is then turned off, but welders maintain the pressure to allow the weld to solidify; creating a strong joint. 

Ideal for:

• Projects in the automotive and transportation industry, such as the fabrication of car bodies
• Assembling household appliances, such as washing machines

The pros:

• This process can be automated through the use of welding robots; ensuring a more efficient and safer practice
• This method is less time-consuming and more efficient as multiple metal sheets can be welded together at the same time
  

Potential drawbacks:

• Whilst it can weld multiple materials at once, these metals must thin – otherwise it’s not effective
• Spot welding can deform the materials and leave visible marks on the weld, so it must be performed by a skilled expert

All other types of welding methods

As mentioned, welding is a varied industry. Whilst the above four methods are the most common, and the ones Salamander provides, there are other welding types you should be aware of. These include:

Cold welding

Instead of using hot tools, cold welding joins two metals together by applying pressure. This ultimately forces them to bond together at an atomic level. Cold welding is mostly used for small-scale applications.

Plasma arc welding

This type of welding uses a plasma torch to apply heat and weld materials together. It’s mostly used in the aerospace industry, as it can create high-quality thin welds for aircraft components. 

Resistance seam welding (RSW)

RSW uses electricity to produce continuous welds on overlapping pieces of metal. The metal has a specific resistance to the electricity applied, which ultimately melts the metal at different contact points. It’s commonly used in appliance manufacturing. 

Electroslag welding

Electroslag welding is used by businesses looking to join thick sections of metal together. It uses a layer of molten slag between the electrode and the workpiece. This resistance creates heat which then melts both the base and filler metal. This type of welding is commonly used to create the thick walls of pressure vessels. 

Can you TIG weld without gas?

In theory, you can TIG weld without gas, but it’s not recommended when it comes to creating high-quality welds.

When TIG welding with shielding gas, the weld is protected from atmospheric contaminants such as oxygen and humidity. When TIG welding without gas, the molten metal can react to these gases – producing flawed welds. 

Which type of welding is the strongest?

TIG welding is seen as the strongest type of welding. This is because of several factors, such as:

• It produces extreme heat 
• It has slow cooling rate results 
• Creates a strong joint

But, what welding type works best for your project depends on what you require, and what materials you plan on working with. For more information on the welding service you require, get in touch with us on 01484 843599. 

Choose Salamander Fabrications for Accurate Results

With a range of experienced welders at our helm; as well as an abundance of industry-relevant expertise, many UK construction businesses turn to us for our leading sheet metal fabrication services. 

When you work with us, our experts will be able to help your projects come to life with services from sheet metal fabrication to custom laser cutting. If you want to get started with metal sheet fabrication, get in touch with our team of experts today.