Difference Between MIG and TIG Welding

MIG vs TIG Welding

In metalworking, welding is the process of fabricating and sculpting of materials by coalescing. These materials are usually thermoplastic or metal. The process is often accomplished by heating the solid material until it melts, then adding filler materials in the molten pieces which would then strengthen its foundation. There are also times when the process where the heating is used with pressure. There are different energy sources that can be used to initialize welding. This can range from the typical gas flame, using friction and electric arc, to the more sophisticated methods like the use of lasers, electron beams, and ultrasound. The process can be hazardous, and precautions are normally in place to avoid injuries from burns, shock, intense light, radiation, and inhalation of poisonous gases.

Several different types of welding processes are also used today. One of them is called arc welding. It is one of the most commonly used types. Arc welding uses an electrical arc that is generated from the electrode of the welder. Along with the base material and the use of electric current it is part of the welding power supply. The development of the arc welding method can be traced back to 1802 when a Russian experimental physicist named Vasily Vladimirovich Petrov discovered the continuous electric arc. Petrov proposed that the electric arc can be used in various applications including welding. In 1881, the first patented arc welding process came about, a carbon arc torch. The idea came from Auguste de Méritens who used modified welding equipment which had an enclosed hood and fume extraction pipe to control the flow of the lead oxide fumes. Advancements in arc welding have led into the use of electrodes, both consumable and non-consumable, for welding as well as the use of direct and alternating current. Other methods have also been introduced throughout history, like MIG welding and TIG welding.

Metal Inert Gas welding, also known as MIG, is continuously fed with consumable wire that acts as both an electrode and filler material along with shielding gas to flow around the wire so that it would prevent contamination on the part being welded. This method offers fast welding speed and high-quality welds. However, the complicated equipment makes this less versatile and less convenient than other consumable electrode methods.

TIG welding, or Tungsten Inert Gas welding, is an arc welding process that uses a tungsten electrode to weld and uses a shielding gas like in MIG welding. Unlike the electrode of MIG welding, this one is non-consumable. The tungsten is not mixed in as a filler for the weld site and is then burned off. But the method can still include the use of filler material. The method requires more skill than MIG welding as well because the operator needs to hold the electrode to form the electric arc, but it produces a higher quality of weld than MIG welding.

Summary:

1.Welding is a process of fabricating and sculpting materials by coalescing. Several types of welding process are introduced throughout history.
2.One of these types is arc welding. The discovery of a continuous electric arc by Vasily Vladimirovich Petrov made him propose to use it on different applications such as welding. Advancements on arc welding have led to different methods being employed in metalworking. Among these methods are MIG welding and TIG welding.
3.MIG welding, or Metal Inert Gas welding, uses consumable wire that acts as both an electrode and filler material. It also uses shielding gas to weld. This method offers a fast welding speed and high-quality welds, but the complicated equipment can hinder work.
4.TIG welding, or Tungsten Inert Gas welding, is an arc welding process that uses a tungsten electrode to weld and uses shielding gas like the MIG welding. The tungsten does not act as a filler and is simply burned off. The method is more complicated because the electrode needs to be held, but it can produce an artistic work.

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