Basic welding methods

MMA

Manual arc welding from English Manual Metal Arc. It is the oldest method, the advantage of which is the great flexibility of welding in all positions and the availability of cheap welding sources and additional material. The additional material is metal melting electrodes with different types of packaging (basic, rutile, cellulose, etc.)

TIG (WIG ,GTAW)

Manual arc welding with an electric arc with a non-melting electrode in a protective atmosphere of inert gas. It is mainly used for welding aluminum and magnesium and their alloys, stainless steels and other materials. The TIG method requires very skilled welders. If the technological procedure is followed, high quality welds can be obtained. The main difference against the MMA method is:

the use of non-melting tungsten electrodes, which are made of pure tungsten or selected alloys are added to tungsten and

another is the use of inert gases that protect the weld pool as well as the electrodes themselves. In some applications, hydrogen or nitrogen are used in addition to argon or helium. In Europe and the Czech Republic, the method is most often referred to by the abbreviation TIG or WIG. In the US, it is customary to call it GTAW.

SAW

Submerged arc welding; (sometimes also automatic submerged arc welding abbreviated as APT is a method of automatic high-power arc welding mainly used for welding steel weldments with long and continuous welds or steel coiled pipes

This fusion welding method uses the heat supplied by the burning of the electric arc to melt the weld surfaces and filler material in the so-called weld pool. The weld pool is protected from oxidation by the gases released during the melting of the granulated flux. Flux is added to the weld bevel before the weld pool. The flux has a similar function and composition to the electrode covers of manual arc welding. Weld metal is created from additional material – a coil of welding wire. The submersible method is also used for welding, where welding tapes are used as an additional material. You can only weld under the flux in the so-called top welding position.