Common methods include Manual Metal Arc welding, abbreviated as MMA, as well as Metal Inert Gas (MIG) and Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding. MIG welding is also referred to as MAG, while TIG welding is simply known as TIG.
Method 1: Hand Welding
Extremely versatile and user-friendly, manual welding primarily relies on human adjustment and uses welding rods as the filler material for the weld seams. It can almost weld any material, including outdoors, making it highly adaptable. Typically, DC current is used during the welding process.
Welding rods can be either titanium rods or inert rods. Titanium rods are easier to weld, resulting in aesthetically pleasing welds and slag that is easy to remove. However, a drawback is that if they are left unused for a long time and then reused, they must be re-baked to prevent moisture accumulation.
Method Two: Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding
It belongs to the gas shielded welding category, which is also a type of arc welding, where the welding rod is melted by the electric arc under a protective gas. Metal cored gas shielded welding is suitable for materials such as steel, non-alloy steel, low-alloy steel, and high-alloy steel, and is widely used. However, there is a point to note: the protective gas must be an active gas, such as carbon dioxide or a mixed gas. Its drawback is that if welding is performed outdoors, the workpiece cannot be damp, otherwise it will affect the protective effect of the shielding gas.
Method 3: Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding
The arc is formed between the tungsten welding wire and the workpiece, requiring a pure argon shielding gas. Since the welding wire is uncharged, it can be manually inserted, mechanically fed, or even not inserted at all, depending on the circumstances. Whether to use direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC) for welding then depends on the welding material.
Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding is primarily used for joining thin and medium-thickness workpieces, with a wide range of materials including alloy steel, aluminum, magnesium, copper, gray cast iron, nickel, silver, titanium, and lead.
