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Most Popular Types of Welding
Posted: January 31, 2014 by Dylan Marsh
TWS is a Great Training Option for Everyone
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Welding has its roots in ancient times when people began attempting to control fire in order to join and solder metals. After electrical power was developed, the technology was adapted to welding torches for cleaner, more controlled welds. While gas shielding and flux had been experimented with since around the beginning of the 1900's, GMAW, MIG, and TIG welding would not be developed until the 1940's. FCAW would be developed and patented a decade later. Since their invention, these welding techniques were adjusted and improved until they eventually led to welding torches and equipment that could produce hotter flames, be more easily and reliably controlled, and be used for a greater variety of applications.
Metal Inert Gas (MIG or GMAW)
MIG welding is a relatively fast form of welding that is fairly simple to learn in welder training and doesn't demand too much skill after the proper settings are made to the torch and wire feeder. It can also be used from any position and produces a clean joint without slag. MIG is most often used in high production welding operations, such as in shops and factories. Indoor factory environments are ideal for MIG because MIG welding requires clean surfaces and windless conditions (otherwise the gas shielding will be disrupted, allowing reactions and imperfections in the weld).
Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG or GTAW)
TIG is a harder process to master because instead of the wire automatically feeding into the weld joint, the welder must continuously hand-feed a separate rod into the molten pool of the base metal. While TIG welding takes longer to master, it produces extremely high-quality welds. It can also be used on a diverse range of metals. Because it is a very precise technique, it can be used on thin metals (such as sheets of aluminum) and in projects that require small welds.
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW or Stick)
SMAW is a more rugged form of welding. It produces slag that must be cleaned up immediately after the weld is finished, and it does not handle as well on thin metals (under 1/8"). However, it is more forgiving in terms of surface conditions (able to work on painted or rusted surfaces), and it can be used outdoors to great effect. This makes it ideal for outdoor uses, such as on farms and for repairing equipment in the field.
Fluxcore (FCAW)
Fluxcore arc welding is essentially MIG welding with a specialized wire. The flux core is a tubular wire filled with "flux," which vaporizes when it contacts the hot weld joint and releases a shielding gas. This self-shielding characteristic allows it to be used outdoors and with less stringent surface preparation requirements than MIG welding . For these reasons, it is sometimes used as a replacement for MIG welding in outdoor settings. It can also be used with an external shielding gas (as in MIG welding), producing dual shielding for increased protection against impurities. However, like stick welding, fluxcore welding produces slag that has to be removed before paint can be applied.
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To learn more about different types of welding and gain the skills necessary to start a career as a welding professional, contact Tulsa Welding School. By enrolling in the Professional Welder training program in Florida or Oklahoma, students are setting themselves up for a career in the skilled trades with skills that are transferrable to jobs across the country.
1 – http://www.gowelding.org/
2 – http://www.agweb.com/article/stick_versus_mig/
3 – http://www.weldinghistory.org/whfolder/folder/whpre1800.html
4 – http://www.weldinghistory.org/whfolder/folder/wh1900.html
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Accredited School, ACCSC. TWS-Jacksonville located at 1750 Southside Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32216 is recognized by ACCSC as a satellite location of TWS-Jacksonville located at 3500 Southside Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32216. Tulsa Welding School & Technology Center (TWSTC) in Houston and TWS-Jacksonville are branch campuses of Tulsa Welding School, located at 2545 E. 11th St., Tulsa, OK 74104. Tulsa, OK campus is licensed by OBPVS and ASBPCE. Jacksonville, FL campus is licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education, License No. 2331. TWSTC and TWS in Tulsa, OK are approved by TWC. TWS in Jacksonville is licensed by the Mississippi Commission on Proprietary School and College Registration, License No. C-668. Licensure indicates only that minimum standards have been met; it is not an endorsement or guarantee of quality. Licensure is not equivalent to or synonymous with accreditation by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. TWS in Jacksonville is also regulated by: Office for Career and Technical Schools, 10 N. Senate Ave, Suite SE 308, Indianapolis, IN 46204; [email protected]; http://www.in.gov/dwd/2731.htm. GI Bill® Eligible (check with local campus for specific eligibility). The AOSWT program is an Associate of Occupational Studies degree program and is not an academic degree. The AOSWT program is not approved for the following states: CO, GA, LA, MN, and TX. For more information about our programs, please visit our website at: http://www.tws.edu/student-resources/regulatory-information/.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Scholarships available to those who qualify. Candidates need to refer to the scholarship information page to determine topic of essay (where applicable) and must meet all regular admissions requirements and be scheduled to start training prior to applying for a scholarship. If a student changes his/her re-enter date, the scholarship award may be forfeited. Scholarships are not transferable and most scholarships cannot be used in conjunction with any other scholarship TWS offers. In most cases, only one award will be given per student. If a student is eligible for multiple scholarships, the scholarship that is most beneficial to the student will be awarded. Scholarships will be distributed incrementally over the entire duration of the program. Scholarship eligibility requires continuous enrollment. Failure to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress may result in the probation and possible loss of scholarship. Termination from training may also result in the loss of a scholarship, which may increase your tuition obligation to TWS. Tuition charges will be based on the amount reflected on your Enrollment Agreement. See the reverse side of your Enrollment Agreement or the School Catalog for the school's refund policy.
* According to 2016 IPEDS data TWS has the largest total combined enrollment of students for all post-secondary schools in the U.S. with the designated largest program of CIP Code Welding Technology/Welder.
** https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce
1 Total number of estimated graduates for TWS calculated based on historic data available as of 1/20/16.
2 Tulsa area annual mean wage is $44,810, Jacksonville area annual mean wage is $41,890 and Houston area annual mean wage is $50,810 for welders, cutters, solderers and brazers (514121) reported by BLS as of May 2019 http://data.bls.gov/oes. Average starting salary for Professional Welder is $36,296 for TWS Tulsa, $34,035 for Jacksonville, and TWSTC is $35,648 for graduates employed during the 12 month period of 7/1/18-6/30/19.
3 According to BLS data Oklahoma employed 11,390, Florida employed 13,730 and Texas employed 50,790 welders, cutters, solderers (514121) as of May 2019. http://data.bls.gov/oes
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