Welding and Its types used in steel detailing:

One Stop Detailing Solutions
3 min readJan 27, 2023

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Welding is a fabrication process that joins two or more pieces of metal or thermoplastics by heating the surfaces to their melting point and applying pressure to fuse them together. It is a versatile and widely-used method for joining metal parts in many different industries, including construction, manufacturing, and repair.

There are many different types of welding, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Some of the most common types include:

  • Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW):

Also known as stick welding, SMAW is a manual process that uses an electrode coated in flux to create an arc between the electrode and the metal being welded. The electrode melts and fuses to the metal, creating a strong bond. SMAW is a relatively low-cost and simple process, but it can be difficult to control and requires a high degree of skill.

  • Gas metal arc welding (GMAW):

Also known as MIG welding, GMAW uses a wire electrode that is fed through a gun, which melts the wire and fuses it to the metal. A shielding gas is used to protect the weld from the atmosphere. GMAW is a faster and more precise process than SMAW, but it requires more expensive equipment and a higher level of skill.

  • Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW):

Also known as TIG welding, GTAW uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode to create an arc between the electrode and the metal being welded. The electrode melts the metal, which is then fused to the metal by a filler rod. GTAW is a highly precise process that produces high-quality welds, but it requires a high degree of skill and is relatively slow.

  • Flux-cored arc welding (FCAW):

Similar to GMAW, FCAW uses a wire electrode that is fed through a gun. However, the electrode is coated in flux, which melts and creates a shielding gas to protect the weld. FCAW is a faster process than SMAW and is more tolerant of dirty or rusty metal.

In steel detailing field, Shielded metal arc welding and Gas metal arc welding are the most used types of welding. Because these types of welding are relatively simple, fast and easy to control, producing high-quality welds, and are suitable for both small and large scale projects.

In conclusion, welding is a fabrication process that joins two or more pieces of metal or thermoplastics by heating the surfaces to their melting point and applying pressure to fuse them together. There are many different types of welding, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. In steel detailing field, Shielded metal arc welding and Gas metal arc welding are the most used types of welding due to their simplicity, speed and quality of welds.

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One Stop Detailing Solutions

Experienced structural steel detailer and having around 7 years of work experience. Here I will write about Steel detailing, Modeling and Checking.