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Arc welding is a welding process that uses an electric arc to create heat to melt and join metals. It involves the use of an electrical power supply to create an electric arc between an electrode and the base material to melt the metals at the welding point. The arc forms between the electrode and the workpiece, creating intense heat that melts the metals and forms a weld pool. As the weld pool cools, it solidifies into a strong joint.
There are various types of arc welding processes, including:
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW): Also known as stick welding, uses a consumable electrode covered with a flux to protect the weld pool from atmospheric contamination.
- Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW): Also known as MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding, uses a continuous solid wire electrode and a shielding gas to protect the weld pool from atmospheric contamination.
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW): Also known as TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding, uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode and a shielding gas.
- Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW): Similar to GMAW but uses a tubular electrode with flux inside, providing its own shielding gas.
These processes are widely used in manufacturing, construction, and repair work due to their versatility and ability to weld a wide range of metals and thicknesses.
See Related Terms:
- Automatic arc welding
- Inert arc welding
- Pulse arc welding