4 Popular Types of Welding Procedures
Working with metal is both exciting and empowering. As the sparks fly and the heat turns up, welders are able to transform some of the world’s strongest materials into the shapes and products they envision. This skill requires work and practice to acquire, and it’s best learned with the assistance and guidance of professionals.
At welding schools like Lincoln Technical Institute and Lincoln College of Technology, interested individuals can enroll in the Welding Technology program to learn all there is to know about the industry. From using industry-standard tools to liquefying metal, students will be on the fast track to a bright career.
Learning the ropes of a new trade can be time consuming. You need to become familiar with the entire working process from start to finish and master each level before moving on. This attention to detail is what makes a great welder and a more versatile potential employee. There are four major types of welding procedures that students at Lincoln must learn in order to become successful welders working in the field. Lincoln students have the unique opportunity to get comprehensive hands-on training from field-experienced instructors. With guidance from some of the best in the industry, students will master the four most popular types of procedures:
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
With this particular type of welding, the welder follows a manual process of stick welding. The stick uses an electric current to form an electric arc between the stick and the metals to be joined. This type is often used in the construction of steel structures and in industrial fabrication to weld iron and steel.
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW/MIG)
This style of welding is also referred to as Metal Inert Gas (MIG). It uses a shielding gas along the wire electrode, which heats up the two metals to be joined. This method requires a constant voltage and direct-current power source, and is the most common industrial welding process. It has four primary methods of metal transfer: globular, short-circuiting, spray and pulsed-spray.
Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
This was developed as an alternative to shield welding. The semi-automatic arc weld is often used in construction projects, thanks to its high welding speed and portability.
Gas Tungsten Arc Gas Welding (GTAW/TIG)
Welding together thick sections of stainless steel or non-ferrous metals is the most common use for this method. It is also an arc-welding process that uses a tungsten electrode to produce the weld. This process is much more time consuming than the other three and much more complex, too.
With plenty of experience in all of these welding techniques, graduates will see many doors open to them when they begin looking for a career. Welders often seek jobs in manufacturing, commercial construction, mining, agriculture, wholesale trade and repair and maintenance, but graduates are able to take their newfound skills wherever they’d like. If you are ready to learn more about taking a step forward into the realm of welding, check out Lincoln’s welding technology program in East Windsor, Connecticut; Denver, Colorado; or Grand Prairie, Texas.
