Gas metal arc welding (GMAW for short) is the formal name for what
everyone calls MIG welding (MIG = metal inert gas). The melt pool is
shielded from oxygen by a blanket of inert gas. The same tool can be
used for flux core welding, in which the electrode is hollow & filled
with a substance (cellulose I think) which spews onto the melt pool to
cover it & shield it from the air. FYI "gas tungsten arc welding"
(GTAW) is known to normal humans as TIG welding: in principle similar to
MIG but the tools & their manipulation are much different, and more
difficult to master, than MIG.
Then there's plain ol' gas welding, which is the acetlyene torch thing.
Shielded metal arc (SMAW), also called "stick welding," is probably the
easiest process to learn. It's like flux core welding, except that the
flux is on the outside of the electrode, not inside, and the electrode
is fed into the weld by hand, not mechanically. Essentially useless for
our cars, whose sheet metal is too thin for the process, but easy to
learn and for that reason I'd suggest this course first. I bet the
intro course has to do with administrative issues, like certification.
So if you're not in a flaming hurry, I'd suggest taking the SMAW course
this semester and GMAW 1 next semester-- but DON'T take my advice--
rather, consult the guys teaching these courses. Phone the school and
ask to speak with the instructors.
Daniel Parrott wrote:
> Intro. to Welding Tech
> Gas Metal Arc Welding, 1, 2, 3 and 4 levels
> Shielded Metal Arc Welding
Hey, missed that, really. Sorry.
> BTW, nice pun on my name.........
>
> Dan Parrott
--
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ZKO 110 Spit Brook Rd. These are my principles;
603-884-0501 Nashua, NH USA 03062 if you object... I have others.
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