Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), sometimes referred to by its

subtypesmetal inert gas (MIG) welding or metal active gas (MAG) welding, is a semi-automatic or
automatic arcweldingprocess in which a continuous and consumable wire electrode and a shielding
gasare fed through a welding gun. A constant voltage ,direct current power source is most commonly
used with GMAW, but constant current systems, as well as alternating current,can beused. There are
four primary methods of metal transfer in GMAW, called globular, short-circuiting, spray, and pulsed-
spray, each of which has distinct properties and corresponding advantages and limitations.
Welding is the process of using electrical current to superheat and melt metal so that you can join two
pieces of metal together. There are several ways to weld, but the two most popular ways to weld at
home include gas metal arc welding, or MIG welding, and arc welding, otherwise known as stick welding.
While welding can seem intimidating at first, it's actually fairly simple once you take the proper safety
precautions and practice using your welding machine.

Method1

Staying Safe

1.

Purchase a welding helmet. The sparks and light that welding gives off is extremely bright and can harm
your eyes. Theres also the possibility of metal debris or sparks flying into your face. Purchase an auto-
darkening welding helmet online or at a hardware store to protect your eyes and face from the sparks
and heat generated from the welding machine.[1]

2.

Get heavy duty welding gloves. Purchase welding gloves online or at a hardware store. Welding gloves
are typically made of cow or pig hide and will protect your hands from electrical shock, heat, and
radiation. Always wear gloves when welding something.[2]

3.
3

Wear a leather apron. An apron will prevent sparks from the welding machine from making contact
with your clothes or potentially burning you. Get a durable, non-flammable apron online or at a
hardware store.[3]

4.
4

Work in a well-ventilated area. The process of welding contaminates the air with vapors and gasses that
are hazardous to inhale. Youll want to work in an open space with open windows or doors while you
weld.[4]

Method2

Preparing the Metal for Welding

1.
1

Scrape any paint and rust off the metal before welding. Use 80 grit sandpaper or an angle grinder with
a flap disc and go over the surface of the painted metal. You can purchase the sandpaper or rent an
angle grinder at a hardware store or online. Continue to grind off the paint and rust until your metal is
metallic and shiny looking.[5]

Paint and rust will inhibit the electrical connection created by the welder.

2.
2

Wipe down the metal with acetone. Your metal must also be free of any dust, dirt, or debris because
they can inhibit your ability to make good welds. Saturate a cloth in acetone and wipe it over the entire
surface of the metal. The acetone should remove any contaminants that could mess with your ability to
weld.[6]

3.
3

Dry down the metal with a clean rag. Rub over the surface of the metal, making sure to remove any of
the acetone that was left over from washing it. Let the metal fully dry before you start weld.

Method3

Using an MIG Welder

1.
1

Make sure that your MIG welder is set up properly. Make sure that your MIG welder has a wire on the
spool. Look at the tip of the welding gun to make sure that its being properly fed up into the gun.
Ensure that your shielding gas canisters are properly set up and that your welding machine is in proper
working order.[7]

2.
2

Clamp your ground clamp to the table you're working on. Your MIG welder should have a grounding
clamp that you need to clamp onto your table. This will prevent you from getting electrocuted if you end
up touching your table.[8]

3.
3

Hold the welding gun with both hands. Rest one hand on the table that youre welding on and use it to
control the direction of the gun while you weld. Your other hand should be gripping the gun, with your
index finger ready to press the trigger.[9]

Remember to wear gloves when handling the welding machine.

4.
4

Position the tip of the welding gun on a 20-degree angle. Positioning the gun on a 20-degree angle
against the piece of metal will help you penetrate into the metal as you weld. This is also commonly
referred to as a push position.[10]

5.
5

Turn the welding machine on and press the trigger. Put your welding helmet down over your face and
press the trigger on the gun. This should create a bright spark the end of your welding gun. Keep your
face away from the weld so you dont injure yourself or inhale any toxic fumes.

6.
6

Move the gun over the metal slowly to create the weld. Press the tip of the welding gun against the
piece of metal. Sparks should start to be created by the welding gun. Leave the gun in a single spot for
one or two seconds before you start moving it down your piece of metal.[11]

7.
7

Make tiny circles with your gun as you weld. Work your way down the metal, making tiny circles as you
move the welding gun. As you move down your piece of metal, you'll start to see hot metal start to pool
behind the tip of your welding gun. Once youve reached the end of your weld, let go of the trigger and
turn off your welding machine.

If you move the weld gun too slowly, you may create holes in your sheet of metal.

If you move your weld gun too fast, you may not heat the metal hot enough to melt it
and your weld will be very thin.

Method4

Using a Stick Welder

 1.

Set the welding machine to DC positive. The polarity on your machine will determine if youre welding
with an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). The DC setting on your machine will have DC
negative and DC positive. DC positive provides a large amount of penetration and is the setting that you
should use if you're just starting out.[12]

The AC setting is used when your power supply only has an AC output.

DC negative results in less penetration and should be used on thin sheets of metal.

2.
2

Set the amperage on your stick welder. Take a look at the instructions or packaging of the rod or
electrode that you plan on using for welding. They will have a recommended amperage on them
depending on what material they are made of. Use the knob on your welding machine to set the
machine to the amperage that it recommends on the electrodes packaging.[13]

The most common electrodes for steel include the 6010, 6011 and 6013.

3.
3

Ground your welding machine to the surface you're working on. Take your grounding clamp and apply
it to the table that you're working on. This will prevent you from getting electrocuted while you weld.

4.
4

Place your rod inside of the welding gun. Some stick welders will have a clamp for their welding gun
while others will have a more traditional looking welding gun. Place your rod into the tip of the welding
gun and tighten the tip so that the rod stays in the gun. If you have clamps, put the welding rod in
between the clamps and close them.[14]

5.
5

Hold your welding gun with two hands. Holding the gun with two hands will improve your precision and
will help you weld straighter lines. Wrap your dominant hand over the top of the welding gun and use
your other hand to support the welding gun from below.[15]

6.
6

Strike your rod against the metal. Tap the tip of the rod lightly onto the metal and sparks should start to
form. The rod will act a lot like a match, and friction must be present before you can strike an arc. Once
you see and hear sparks, youve successfully started your weld.[16]

7.
7

Make a straight line with the rod. Slowly move down the sheet of metal with your rod. As you go along
in a line, the melting metal should form a pool behind your rod. This will be the same size as the weld. A
proper weld or "bead" will be about a half inch (1.27 cm) thick.

8.
8

Touch the metal with the rod for one or two seconds to tack weld. If you lift the rod off of the metal, it
will stop creating sparks. You can hold the rod onto a piece of metal for one or two seconds to quickly
create a rounded tack weld. This is useful if you need to create quick welds on certain pieces of metal.[17]

9.
9

Break the slag off with a hammer. After you create your weld, metal will form over the weld like a shell.
This material is called slag and is incredibly hot. Lightly tap the slag with a hammer until it comes off in
sheets.[18]

Dont slam the slag with a hammer, or hot pieces of metal can come flying off of your
weld.

10.
10

Clean off the slag with a wire brush. Use a wire brush and rub back and forth over the weld. Clean off
the remaining slag and make sure there is no metal debris left on the weld.[19]
Gas Metal Arc Welding:

In gas metal-arc welding (GMAW), developed in the 1950s and previously called metal inert-gas (MIG)
welding, the Weld region is shielded by an effectively inert atmosphere of argon, helium, carbon
dioxide, or a variety of other gas mixtures. The consumable uncovered Wire is fed automatically all the
way through a nozzle into the Weld arc by a Wire-feed drive motor. In adding together to using inert
shielding gases, deoxidizers generally are present in the electrode metal itself in order to avoid oxidation
of the molten-weld puddle. Compound-weld layers can be deposited at the joint.

Gas Metal Arc Welding process (MIG welding)

Metal can be transferred by three methods in the GMAW process:

l. In spray transfer, little; molten metal droplets from the electrode are transferred to the Weld area at a
rate of numerous hundred droplets per second. The transfer is splash free and very stable. High DC
currents and voltages and huge-diameter electrodes are used with argon or an argon-rich gas mixture as
the shielding gas. The standard current required in this process can be reduced with utilize of a pulsed
arc, which superimposes huge-amplitude pulses onto a low, steady current.

The procedure can be used in all welding positions. In globular transfer, carbon-dioxide-rich gases are
used, and globules are propelled by the forces of the electric-arc transfer of the metal, resulting in
significant spatter. High Welding currents are utilized, making it possible for better Weld penetration
and superior welding speed than are achieved in spray transfer. Heavier sections normally are joined by
this method.

Welding Arc surrounded by Inert Gas

MIG Welding Process

2. In short circuiting, the metal is transferred in individual droplets (over 50 per second) as the electrode
tip touch the molten Weld metal and short circuits. Low down currents and voltages are used with
carbon-dioxide-rich gases and electrodes made of small-diameter Wire. The power mandatory is about 2
kW the temperatures generated in GMAW are relatively low; as a result, this method is suitable only for
slight sheets and sections of less than 6 mm; otherwise incomplete fusion may occur. The operation,
which is simple to perform, is usually used for welding ferrous metals in thin sections. Pulsed-arc system
is used for thin ferrous and nonferrous metals. The GMAW process is fit for welding most ferrous and
nonferrous metals and is used extensively in the metal-fabrication industry. Because of the moderately
simple nature of the process, the training of operator will be easy one. The process is adaptable, rapid,
and economical, and welding productivity is double that of the SMAW process.

MIG welding Equipment

The GMAW process can be automated simply and lends itself readily to robotics and to flexible
manufacturing systems (FMS).