The difference between TIG and MIG welding

2024-01-23 21:31

1. TIG welding is generally a manual welding process where one hand holds a welding gun and the other holds a welding wire, making it suitable for small-scale operations and repairs.

2. MIG and MAG, the welding wire is sent out from the welding gun through an automatic wire feeding mechanism, suitable for automatic welding, but can also be manually operated.

3. The main difference between MIG and MAG lies in the protective atmosphere. The equipment is similar, but the former is generally protected by argon gas and is suitable for welding non-ferrous metals; The latter is generally mixed with carbon dioxide active gas in argon gas, which is suitable for welding high-strength steel and high alloy steel.

4. TIG and MIG are both inert gas shielded welding, commonly known as argon arc welding. Inert gas can be argon or helium, but argon is cheap and commonly used, so inert gas arc welding is generally referred to as argon arc welding.

Tungsten inert gas shielded welding is a welding process that uses tungsten or tungsten alloys as electrode materials, and under the protection of inert gas, uses the arc heat generated between the electrode and the base metal (workpiece) to melt the base metal and fill the welding wire.

It is called GTAW Gas Tungsten Arc Welding or TIG Tungsten Inert Gas Welding in English

1) Hand arc welding (STICK)

Shielded Arc Welding (SMAW)

The principle is to generate an arc between the covered electrode and the base material, and use the welding method of arc heat melting to melt the electrode and the base material. The outer layer of the welding rod is covered with welding flux, which melts when exposed to heat and has the functions of stabilizing the arc, forming slag, deoxidation, refining, etc.

Schematic diagram of manual arc welding with welding rods:

Welding power sources use AC welding machines or DC arc welding machines with descending characteristics. AC arc welding machines are generally used, and DC arc welding machines are used when arc stability is particularly required.

Main features: Simple welding operation; Welding pliers are lightweight, easy to move, and suitable for a wide range of operations.

2) Melting gas shielded welding (CO2/MAG/MIG)

Gas metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

MAG welding: metal Active Gas Welding (Active Gas: Active Gas)

MIG welding: metal Inert Gas Welding, (Inert Gas: inert gas)

According to the type of protective gas, it can be roughly divided into MAG welding and MIG welding. MAG welding uses CO2 or a mixture of CO2 or oxygen in argon gas (these are called active gases). The welding habit of using only CO2 gas is called CO2 arc welding, which is different from MIG welding. MIG welding uses inert gases such as argon and helium.

The principle is to generate an arc between the fine diameter consuming electrode (welding wire) and the base material, seal the surrounding area with protective gas, and melt the base material and welding wire in the welding method. Widely used in semi-automatic welding with handheld welding guns by operators, as well as in the fields of robot welding and automatic welding.

Schematic diagram of consumable electrode gas shielded welding:

The characteristics of CO2 welding: fast welding speed; High arc ignition efficiency; Molten pool depth; High deposition efficiency. One type of welding wire can be used for multiple plate thicknesses; Good welding quality with minimal deformation after welding; A welding wire can be used for multiple base materials.

The characteristics of MAG welding: In addition to the advantages of CO2 welding; The appearance of the weld seam is beautiful with less spatter; Double sided forming welding and all-round welding are easy; Suitable for high-speed welding.

The characteristics of Pulse MIG (GMAW) welding: The MIG method is mostly used for aluminum welding and generally uses pulse control.

Pulse MIG welding can achieve minimal splashing through jet transition. The appearance of the weld seam is beautiful, and a flat weld seam height shape can be obtained. Compared with non pulse MAG/MIG welding, thicker welding wires can also achieve jet transition, thus improving wire feeding performance and reducing welding wire costs in thin plate welding. Especially in aluminum and alloy welding, it has advantages in automation and robotics.

The principle of pulse MIG (GMAW) welding: The welding current is cyclically repeated in the form of pulse current Ip and base current Ib, which can achieve droplet transfer in a wide range of welding current fields (see figure below).

3) Tungsten inert gas welding (TIG)

Non melting electrode gas shielded arc welding, TIG welding, also known as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)

The principle is that TIG welding is a method of melting and welding the tungsten electrode and base metal by creating an arc between the tungsten electrode and the base metal in an inert gas environment such as argon.

DC TIG welding

The welding method of using a DC arc welding power source as the welding power source, with electrodes as negative and base metal as positive, is widely used in the welding of stainless steel, titanium, copper, and copper alloys.

Communication TIG welding

Using an AC arc welding power source as the welding power source, the polarity of the electrode and the base metal varies with each other. When the electrode is positive (EP polarity), the electrode overheats and consumes a lot, which can remove the oxide layer on the surface of the base material, known as the cleaning effect. By utilizing this cleaning effect, it is widely used in welding of aluminum, magnesium, and other materials.

The characteristics of TIG (GTAW) welding: it can weld almost all industrial metals and alloys; Good welding quality and high reliability; Welding is well formed and there is no need to remove slag; No splashing or less smoke and dust; Widely applicable to thin to thick plates.

4) Resistance welding

Resistance welding, like arc welding, is widely used in metal welding and has become an indispensable welding method in industries such as automobiles, household appliances, electronic equipment, railways, construction, and civil engineering.

The principle is: a welding method that uses the resistance heat at the junction of the welded material to melt and join the base material by concentrating a large current and applying pressure. The basic principle of resistance welding is to use resistance heating to dissolve metals, apply pressure, and combine them, including resistance spot welding, projection welding, seam welding, and roll welding.

Schematic diagram of resistance spot welding

The characteristics of resistance welding

High efficiency of two piece overlap spot welding

Fast welding speed, suitable for mass production

Beginners can also perform simple welding

Small welding deformation

No welding wire, chemicals, consumables required

Low production cost

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5) Plasma cutting (PLASMA)

The principle of plasma cutting is to perform arc discharge between the base material (including the nozzle inside the cutting torch) and the electrodes inside the cutting torch, and use the heat energy of the discharge to generate high-temperature and high-speed plasma arc in the compressed gas, which is a cutting method for fusing the base material. The small holes in the nozzle make the plasma flow finer and have a higher density.

The characteristics of air plasma cutting:

Can easily cut all metals

Fast cutting speed

Cutting deformation is minimal, and cutting can be achieved without the need for fixed fixtures

Unrestricted cutting shape

Small heat affected area

Both contact and non-contact cutting are acceptable

No need for proficiency, simple operation

TIG Non Melting Inert Gas Arc Welding

This is a type of non melting inert gas shielded welding, which uses the arc between the tungsten electrode and the workpiece to melt the metal and form a weld. During the welding process, the tungsten electrode does not melt and only serves as an electrode. At the same time, argon gas is fed into the nozzle of the welding torch for protection. Metal can also be added as needed. Internationally known as TIG welding.

Non melting inert gas arc welding is an excellent method for connecting thin sheet metal and backing welding due to its ability to effectively control heat input. This method can be used for almost all metal connections, especially for welding metals such as aluminum and magnesium that can form refractory oxides, as well as active metals like titanium and zirconium. This welding method has high weld quality, but its welding speed is slower compared to other arc welding methods.

MIG Metal Inert Gas Arc Welding

This welding method uses the arc that burns between the continuously fed welding wire and the workpiece as a heat source, and the inert gas sprayed out by the welding torch nozzle protects the arc for welding.

The commonly used shielding gases for gas shielded arc welding include argon, helium, or a mixture of these gases. When argon or helium gas is used as the shielding gas, it is called MIG welding (also known internationally as MIG welding).

The main advantage of gas shielded arc welding is that it can easily perform welding in various positions, while also having the advantages of fast welding speed and high deposition rate. Melting inert gas shielded welding is suitable for stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, copper, titanium, zirconium, and nickel alloys. This welding method can also be used for arc spot welding.

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