MIG or Metal Inert Gas Welding is an arc welding process that joins metals using a continuous solid wire electrode that’s fed through a welding gun directly into a weld pool. MIG welding uses an inert gas such as Argon to help protect the weld from its environment, which can result in the weld developing defects. MIG welding can be used on a number of materials as well as in a number of industries, which will be discussed below.
Which industries use MIG welding?
Aerospace
Why is MIG Welding used in the Aerospace industry?
Gas welding was used in aircraft development up until the 1950s and was typically used to create materials that were less than 3/16-inches thick. While gas welding is still used Electric Arc or MIG welding is still used today.
Automotive
MIG welding is used for a number of activities inside of the automotive industry. It’s commonly used to repair vehicles such as cars, motorbikes, recreational vehicles, vans etc. It’s also used to weld sheet metal (Sheet Metal typically comes in the form of Aluminum, Stainless Steel, and Mild Steel).
Why is MIG welding used in the automotive industries?
MIG welding is used in the automotive industries because the metals used in automobiles must be flexible / versatile enough to withstand years of abuse (use on roads) and the welds must be strong enough to render the car usable. While more and more cars are being made of Aluminum MIG welding is rapidly being replaced by Laser MIG welding.
What is Laser MIG welding? And, why is it used in the auto industry?
Laser MIG welding is defined as a welding process that combines both laser beam welding and MIG welding. The laser beam melts the material being welded in a very small area. Because there is a concentration of energy the laser beam instantly penetrates and melts the material being welded. MIG welding processes create a wider focal spot and adds filler material to the pool of molten material. Laser beam welding essentially creates welds that are both high quality and have a deep penetration level.
An advantage of Laser MIG welding is that in 57% of welds (this information was taken from the article above) it had a shorter processing time and in 70% of welds it used less filler material.
Video credits to CloosWelding. It discusses laser hybrid welding.
Construction / Infrastructure
Why is MIG welding commonly used in the Construction/Infrastructure industry?
A number of materials are used in the construction industry, among them being steel (MIG welding is great for welding steel). It’s been said that over half of the steel in the world is used to build buildings, bridges, homes, etc. A reason MIG welding is used in the industrial industry is because of how compatible it is with the materials commonly used in said industry.
Which metals are commonly used in the construction industry?
The construction and industrial industries commonly use stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and carbon steel.
Carbon Steel
Carbon steel is considered a prized possession in the construction industry because of how durable it is. It’s most often found to be used in plates for highway construction, structural framework, as well as rectangular tubing for welded welded frames trailer beds. Not only that but carbon steel is also considered a choice material for hollow structural sections and rebar. Carbon steel comes with classifications from mild to very high and this varies with the carbon that’s actually in the material.
Copper
Copper or in this case copper tubing is used to make pipes in buildings. Soft copper is most often used to make refrigerant lines in HVAC systems as well as heat pumps. Copper is used because it’s known to be a corrosion resistant metal (at least from water and soil) and is also recyclable.
Aluminum
Aluminum is resistant to corrosion, ductile, and is highly conductive. Since Aluminum is resistant to the effects of harsh weather it used in window doors, wire, and outdoor signage, and street lights.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is considered one of the oldest known construction metals. It’s been used to construct structures centuries ago that still stand till this day. A reason for this is that the materials used in the construction of these buildings stand till this day is that stainless steel is both stain and corrosion resistant. Stainless steel is an alloy and the combinations of the metals that make it up can vary – this creates varying grades of stainless steel, each of which has different properties. You can find stainless steel being used in operations from handrails, balustrading, architectural cladding, drainage components etc.
Resources:
https://norwegianprototypes.com/mig-welding-principles-and-its-application-in-manufacturing/
http://northern-weldarc.com/types-welding-processes/
https://www.ihireconstruction.com/careeradvice/pages/construction-industry-outlook-2019
http://www.ijmer.com/papers/Vol4_Issue9/Version-4/C0409_04-1319.pdf
https://drillly.com/mig-welding-uses/
https://www.tregaskiss.com/industries-p152526#.Xc5m9VdKiM8
http://www.flight-mechanic.com/types-of-welding/
https://www.sweethaven02.com/Aviation/MaintHandbook/ama_Ch05.pdf
