Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) is frequently referred to as MIG welding.

MIG welding is a commonly used high deposition rate welding process. continuously fed from a spool. semiautomatic welding process. Wire is MIG welding is therefore referred to as a

MIG Welding Shielding Gas

The shielding gas, forms the arc plasma, stabilizes the arc on the metal being welded, shields the arc and molten weld pool, and allows smooth transfer of metal from the weld wire to the molten weld pool. There are three primary metal transfer modes:

Spray transfer Globular transfer Short circuiting transfer

The primary shielding gasses used are:

Argon Argon - 1 to 5% Oxygen Argon - 3 to 25% CO2 Argon/Helium

CO2 is also used in its pure form in some MIG welding processes. However, in some applications the presence of CO2 in the shielding gas may adversely affect the mechanical properties of the weld.

MIG Welding Benefits

All position capability Higher deposition rates than SMAW Less operator skill required Long welds can be made without starts and stops Minimal post weld cleaning is required

Common MIG Welding Concerns

We can help optimize your MIG welding process variables. Evaluate your current welding parameters and techniques. Help eliminate common welding problems and discontinuities such as those listed below:

Weld Discontinuities

Undercutting Excessive melt-through Incomplete fusion Incomplete joint penetration Porosity Weld metal cracks Heat affected zone cracks

MIG Welding Problems

Heavily oxidized weld deposit Irregular wire feed Burn back Porosity Unstable arc Difficult arc starting

Welding Discontinuities
Some examples of welding discontinuities are shown below. Evaluation of the discontinuity will determine if the discontinuity is a defect or an acceptable condition:

Incomplete Fusion - A weld discontinuity in which fusion did not occur

between weld metal and fusion faces or adjoining weld beads.

Undercut - A groove melted into the base metal adjacent to the weld toe or weld
root and left unfilled by weld metal.

Overlap - The protrusion of weld metal beyond the weld toe or weld root.

Under fill - A condition in which the weld faces or root surface extends below the
adjacent surface of the base metal. Incomplete Joint Penetration - A joint root condition in a groove weld in which weld metal does not extend through the joint thickness

Partial joint penetration groove welds are commonly specified in lowly loaded structures. However, incomplete joint penetration when a full penetration joint is required, as depicted above, would be cause for rejection. A fix for an incomplete penetration joint would be to back gouge and weld from the other side. acceptable partial penetration joint is shown below. Partial penetration joint on the left without discontinuities is an acceptable condition where appropriate. Appropriate engineering decisions need to be applied to determine what type of joint should be specified for a given application. Another

Engineering should be contacted to determine whether partial penetrations of full penetration joints are appropriate for a particular situation.

Above are several different representations of weld cracking? Below is a representation of a convex fillet weld without discontinuities.

MIG Welding Facts

One of the more popular robotic applications is MIG welding; also know as Gas Metal Arc Welding. This form of welding involves feeding a wire continuously through a spool. Below are a few more facts about welding.

Can shielding gas affect the quality of a weld?

The answer to this question is yes. For most steel welding applications carbon dioxide will provide sufficient shielding from splatter during welding with good quality. However factors such as thickness, position, electrode diameter, conditions, among others can affect the quality of the weld. It is important to select the appropriate shielding gas in order to produce high quality results.

What is the importance of contact tips in MIG welding?

Contact tips are very important because they help control the flow of the welding current. If the tip is worn the current could become scattered and would ruin the weld. Contact tips should be replaced for every 100lbs of wire used.

What size tip yields high quality MIG welds?

The most common diameters for welding wire are between .035 and .045, but a smaller diameter will create a higher quality weld. This is because most MIG welders make welds that are too big, leading to major issues with the application. Smaller diameters like a .025 wire are more stable with a lower current, reducing the risk for burn through.

How to ground a MIG welder

MIG welder grounding cables should be attached firmly to clean metal and close to the arc. This is because the current will follow the path with the least amount of resistance. If the MIG welder grounding is not close to the arc, the current may find another path which could lead to disaster.