The Ultimate Guide to Choosing builders warehouse welding machine

Buying a welder can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. Several types are available, all suitable for different uses, and the technical terminology can get confusing.  

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We’ve put this welder buying guide together to help you. It covers what welders are and how they work. It explains the types of welders, what they are best used for and their pros and cons. It also covers the materials welders can be used for, plus welder features and maintenance. And finally, it highlights some key things to consider when buying a welder and answers some frequently asked questions.  

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Different types of welders work slightly differently from each other depending on their welding process, but their basic function is the same:

A metal workpiece is attached to the welder via a ground clamp. Then an electrode is also connected to the welder. When the welder is switched on, the electrode and the metal workpiece have a strong electrical current fed to them through the welding machine. When the welding process starts, the electrode is placed against the metal workpiece to complete an electrical circuit and is then pulled back a few millimetres. When this happens, an electrical arc (like a lightning bolt) jumps through the air from the electrode to the base metal. The extremely hot arc melts the electrode and the base metal, creating a weld pool – a pool of molten metal that will form the joint between the pieces of metal being joined.  

Different welders use different types of electrodes to create their electrical arc. For example, the electrode could be a stick electrode or a piece of wire fed through a welding gun. 

All welders also have a way of producing a shielding gas, such as argon, helium or carbon dioxide. This protects the metal from reacting with atmospheric gases, which can cause imperfections and damage the quality of the joint. Depending on the type of welder, the shielding gas may be released from a canister, or the electrode can be coated with flux – a material that releases shielding gas as it melts.  

MIG welders explained

MIG is an acronym for Metal Inert Gas. MIG welders work using an arc welding process with a continuous solid wire electrode that’s fed automatically through the welding gun at a constant pre-set speed. The electrode melts with the metal workpiece to create a weld pool that’s used as a filler metal to form the joint. 

There are two ways that a MIG welder can produce a shielding gas to protect the weld pool and metal from reacting with airborne contaminants. First, the welding gun can feed gas from a canister alongside the electrode. Or a flux-cored wire electrode containing a shielding gas releasing material can be used.

MIG welders are perfect for beginners because they are easy to use. They produce a neat and clean weld with no slag (waste material), so there's less post-weld cleaning required. They deposit the weld pool at a higher rate than other types of welders, so welding tasks can be completed in less time. And the continuously fed wire electrode means less time is wasted compared to welders, where you must frequently stop to change the electrode. In addition, the flux-cored electrode option works well on dirty or rusty materials, but the continuous wire electrode method requires the base metals to be clean before welding. 

There are also a few disadvantages. Such as, the initial set-up and maintenance costs are high. They can only be used in non-draughty conditions (so they can’t be used outside). And they are less efficient if you need to use them for long periods due to their low duty cycle (i.e., the amount of downtime they need to cool down between uses).

MIG welders are best used for joining steel, stainless steel and aluminium in a wide variety of thicknesses.

What gas is needed for a MIG welder? 

Argon is the best gas for MIG welding. It can be used on its own or mixed with one or two other gases such as helium and carbon dioxide to allow deeper penetration into the metal.

Are MIG welders AC or DC?

MIG welders use a DC current for welding, providing a smooth welding output, less spatter (metal particles thrown out as it welds), and a more stable arc. 

MIG welding diagram
A MIG welder is made up of the following features and functions:

• Welding machine: this plugs into an electricity supply and feeds the electrical current into the base metal and electrode.
  Ground clamp: this is attached to the base metal and is connected to the welding machine by a cable.

• Welding gun: this is connected to the welding machine via a cable.

• Gas nozzle: this runs through the welding gun to supply the shielding gas. It’s connected to a gas canister.

• Contact tube: this copper tube runs through the welding gun and supplies the electrode with an electrical current.

• Consumable electrode: this runs through the contact tube.
  Arc: the electrical current that jumps between the electrode and the base metal to create extreme heat.

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• Welding pool: the molten pool of metal created by the electrode used to form the joint.

• Gas shield: the protective layer of gas surrounding the welding pool.

Parent and weld metal: the two pieces of metal which are being joined together.

Arc welders are also known as stick welders. They use an arc welding process with a metal stick or rod electrode as a filler metal. The sticks are covered in a flux material that releases a shielding gas as it's melted to protect the molten weld pool from contamination. The sticks are available in different diameters and lengths, and it's essential to use the correct type for your application.

Arc welders are simple to use and easy to learn, so they are ideal for anyone with little welding experience. The arc is not affected by wind, so it can be used outdoors and inside. And they also work well on dirty or rusty metals, meaning no cleaning is required before welding. Another advantage is that the absence of an inert gas supply makes them cheaper to use and easily portable. And the sticks are quick and easy to change, so they're ideal when frequently switching between different welding tasks.

There are a few disadvantages of an arc welder. For example, this type of welding deposits slag (waste material) onto the joint which must be chipped or scraped away as you work. And while the filler stick is easy to replace, it has to be replaced every few minutes. So, constantly stopping work to clean the slag and replace the stick makes working with these welders relatively slow. Arc welders also create more spatter (metal particles thrown out as it welds) than a MIG welder. 

Arc welders are best used for joining steel, stainless steel and iron and are designed for jobs such as repairing pipework or equipment or fabricating metal shapes. However, they aren’t suitable for welding metals thinner than 1/8”.  

The construction industry is responsible for the creation of all kinds of structures with varying sizes, levels of complexity, and uses. From simple, small structures such as family homes to large, complex ones like bridges, dams, and manufacturing plants. Structural integrity and durability are the most important considerations in this industry. This is why the construction industry employs a very large quantity of metals. In the United States alone, more than 40 million tons of steel are used annually in the construction industry. The majority of this quantity is used to create structural frameworks. This is where welding plays an indispensable role in construction.

Welding technologies are widely used in the construction industry, mainly for the fabrication of structurally sound metal frameworks by fusing various metals components. It is also used to create and maintain non-structural components. Some of the welding used for construction is pre-fabricated in a shop environment while other parts of the welding process are done on-site.

Applications of Welding in Construction

Construction comprises numerous industries, including transportation, oil, and gas, telecommunication, power, manufacturing, many others. The construction industry is very broad & diverse and is divided into three major sectors which differ by the type of structures they create. These sectors are Building, Infrastructure, and Industrial.

The application of welding is crucial to all three sectors.

Building Construction

As the name suggests, the building construction sector involves the creation of structures in which people can dwell and carry out their activities. This sector is further divided into residential and non-residential. Building construction mainly employs welding in the creation of structural frameworks from metal components. Welding is used for connecting steel I-beams, trusses, columns, and footers, to support the walls, roof, and floors of a building. These components are cut to shape and size, lifted into position, and welded together.

Structural welding is not employed as extensively in small buildings, as it is in high-rise buildings that require thousands of metal joints. Welding in building construction is also used for the fabrication of non-structural building components such as firewalls, stairs, handrails, and floor joists. Furthermore, welders work with other professionals in setting up various systems in a building. These include:

• Electrical systems – creating electrical conduits Construction for laying wires.
• Plumbing systems – installing water supply and wastewater drainage pipes.
• Ventilation systems – installation of vents and ventilation pipes.
• Fuel systems – installation of gas supply pipes.

Infrastructure Construction

This sector is responsible for the creation of infrastructures such as bridges, dams, railways, stadia, water supply systems, highways, and wastewater management systems. The application of welding in infrastructure construction is mainly structural. This is because most of the structures created in this sector are megastructures that completely depend on structural reliable metal frameworks created via welding. Certain infrastructure such as bridges can be made almost entirely of metal. Others such as dams and water systems require a lot of pipe welding.

Industrial Construction

Industrial construction covers all structures that are utilized industrially. Structures created by this sector hardly stand alone but are usually part of a large system of numerous components and structures that work together for specific purposes. Such systems include manufacturing plants, refineries, mills, power generation stations, and many more. Industrial construction is considered the most diverse sector within the field as it cuts across numerous industries. The applications of welding in this sector are as diverse as the sector itself. TIG welders are used for the fabrication and maintenance of structural frameworks, pipelines, industrial equipment, and support structures for large components.

Welding Technologies Employed in the Construction Industry

The construction industry has a wide range of welding needs. Most existing welding technologies have one use or the other in the industry. Some of these and their uses are as follows:

• SMAW: Also known as arc welding, submerged metal arc welding (SMAW) is mainly used for welding steel structures.
• FCAW: Flux-cored arc welding is considered more convenient than its submerged arc counterpart. This technology is widely employed in fabrication using structural steel as well as heavy equipment repair
• GTAW: Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), also known as TIG welding, is crucial for its compatibility with various metals including stainless steel, aluminum, bronze, and copper.
• GMAW: Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), popularly known as MIG welding, is employed for both structural and non-structural purposes.
  Application-specific welding systems employed in the construction industry include stud welders such as ProWeld Arc and pipe welders such as the PipeWorx welding system.

Benefits of Welding in the Construction Industry

Durability

The importance of structural integrity and durability in construction can hardly be overemphasized as structural failure can lead to a devastating loss of life and resources. Structures created weigh thousands of tons and are expected to last for hundreds of years. With the high strength and durability of weld joints, stakeholders in construction can rest assured that there’s nothing to worry about from the point of the framework.

Efficiency

Productivity is crucial to saving costs, resources, and time on any construction project. Productivity in a project is dependent on the efficiency of the processes involved. In terms of advancing construction efficiency, welding is at the forefront. While welding itself is a highly efficient process when using the right equipment, several other technologies have been incorporated into the process to make it even more efficient. Some of the technologies used in welding that are particularly beneficial to the construction industry are as follows:

ArcReach® Technology

This technology saves builders thousands of dollars and increases speed and productivity by eliminating the need for a welder to move to and from a power source to make necessary adjustments during welding. This is particularly helpful in high altitude welding where the actual welding may be 100s of meters above the ground where the power source is located. Some of the solutions that make up ArcReach include Cable Length Compensation (CLC™) which automatically adjusts the delivered voltage based on the cable length to ensure that the set voltage is always supplied; and Adjust While Welding (AWW™), which allows the operator to remotely adjust weld settings right from where they are working.

Weld Automation Equipment

Types of automation equipment that increase efficiency and accuracy include automatic wire feeders, welding manipulators, turning rolls, and welding positioners which are used to hold and rotate the pipe or other weldment.

Multiprocess TIG Welders

Some welding projects require more than one welding technology at a spot. It is stressful enough to switch equipment not to imagine doing this at heights where you would need to ascend and descend repeatedly. Multi-process welders eliminate this problem by combining various welding technologies into a single compact unit. In addition to all these, another factor that boosts productivity is the portability of welding equipment. This is appreciated when work has to be carried out over rugged terrain, at height, or in relatively small spaces.

Flexibility

The construction industry has a wide range of fabrication requirements. One of the numerous reasons why welding is indispensable in construction is its flexibility. For any size, work environment, or material, there is a suitable welding technique. For example, 5 cm diameter pipes can be welded as good as 50 m long beams and columns. Also, the various metal grades used in construction are all compatible with one welding technology or another.

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