12 Types of Welding Machines and Their Benefits

 One of the most widespread crafts in terms of the number of different industries it's been used in is welding. This metal fabrication process is the cornerstone of automotive manufacturing, shipbuilding, small workshop repairs and everything else that involves building metal structures, no matter their size.

Despite its cool appearance, welding has been around for many centuries, as it first started being used with wood. Nowadays, you can weld even plastic workpieces, but welding on metal is the most common practice, as the use of it has increased quite a lot over the last century. This has also allowed for different types of welding techniques to be invented, and thus different kinds of welding machines as well.

Types of Welding Machines

source: tws.edu

Stick

Stick shielded metal arc welding, or stick for short relies on current to be sent between the base metal and filler rod (stick) in order to generate heat high enough for welding. The rod itself is covered with a flux to prevent oxidation which makes a SMAW wire welding machine one of the most economical when it comes to working with cast iron and Inox steel.

MIG

An MIG or metal inert gas welder is one that is easy to get the hang of. That's because the machine uses both a consumable wire and a filler rod, which makes it easy to work on both large and thick pieces of metal. All this is possible thanks to the use of a shielding gas called Argon, which helps MIG machines work with a plethora of metals.

MAG

Similar to MIG, MAG or metal active gas welders make use of the same process, and they too feed a wire electrode all the time while using them. MAG welders are a bit different though as they make use of a different shielding gas which is more reactive. This helps the welder to be used on an even wider range of metals at a faster speed.

TIG

With a TIG or tungsten inert gas welding machine for sale, you can get excellent precision and control over your weld. TIG is synonymous with making quality welds as it makes use of a non-consumable tungsten electrode together with inert gases such as Helium, Hydrogen, Argon and Nitrogen to shield it from oxidation.

Plasma

PTAW or plasma-transferred stick welding machines, also known as plasma arc machines, are quite similar to TIG in that they, too, make use of a tungsten electrode. However, this is an anode that makes the process ideal when you need the utmost precision. This is why plasma arc welders are used in the aircraft manufacturing industry.

SAW

An unusual approach to welding is when you use an SAW or a submerged arc welding machine for sale. No, this type of machine can't be used underwater, but what can be done is create high-quality welds without much experience on almost any type of steel and nickel alloys. The main downside is that the machines are not portable.

RSW

Purely used in industrial settings, an RSW or resistance spot welding machine offers both robust and efficient welding as it makes use of a high electric current that passes through the workpieces to heat them up. This means that an RSW can only be used to join sheets of metal.

AHW

While not as common as they used to be, AHW or atomic hydrogen welding machines are able to weld together, rather quickly, both thin and thick workpieces. They have two tungsten electrodes, which are used together with a hydrogen shielding gas. This allows for the arc to bring down hydrogen to its atomic form when welding.

Flux-Cored

If you buy a welding machine that makes use of FCAW or flux-cored arc welding, you are able to weld together dirty or rusty workpieces. While that's not the goal, the advantage of these machines allows you to have less time-consuming preparation, but get ready to deal with more smoke and fumes during the process.

Energy Beam

With an EWB or energy beam welding machine, you have a piece of equipment that works unlike any other type of welding machine. That's because it makes use of magnetic fields to generate a stream of electrons at a high speed. This means it can weld together metals with different thicknesses as well as certain areas of a workpiece with little to no heat distortion.

Oxyacetylene

An oxyacetylene gas welding machine makes use of two different gases, acetylene and oxygen, hence the name. The oxygen acts as the heating medium, and the acetylene acts as the fuel gas. This is why you need two different gas cylinders with an oxyacetylene welder, which is what also makes it usable on both thin and thick workpieces at a low cost.

Multi-Purpose

As its name suggests, a multi-purpose wire welding machine can be used as a TIG, MIG and stick welder. This 3-in-1 solution is one of the most versatile options, but also one of the costliest, as you need to get additional equipment in order to be able to perform all three welding processes.