MIG/MAG welding

In MIG/MAG welding, an arc is created with the power supply through the welding gun between the welding wire being fed and the work piece. The arc fuses the material being welded and the welding wire, thus creating the weld. The wire feeder continuously feeds welding wire through the welding gun throughout the welding process. The welding gun also provides shielding gas to the weld.

The MIG and MAG welding methods differ from each other in that MIG (metal inert gas) welding uses an inert shielding gas, which does not participate in the welding process, while MAG (metal active gas) welding employs an active shielding gas that participates in the welding process. Usually the shielding gas contains active carbon dioxide or oxygen, and therefore MAG welding is by far more common than MIG welding. In fact, the term MIG welding is often accidentally used in connection with MAG welding.

Usually shielding gas contains active carbon dioxide or oxygen, so MAG welding is far more common than MIG welding. In fact, the term MIG welding is often accidentally used in connection with MAG welding.

Today, MIG / MAG welding is used almost everywhere in the welding industry. The largest users are heavy and medium-heavy industries, such as shipbuilding, manufacturers of steel structures, pipelines and pressure tanks, as well as repair and maintenance companies.

MIG / MAG welding is also often used in the sheet metal industry, especially in the automotive industry, bodywork and small industry. Hobbyists and home users usually also have a MIG / MAG welding machine.

EQUIPMENT

MIG and MAG welding equipment typically consists of a power source, wire feeder, grounding cable, welding gun, optional liquid cooling unit, and gas shield or gas network interface.

The purpose of the wire feeder is to bring the welding wire required for welding from the coils to the welding gun.

The wire device allows both the power source to start and stop and, when using an electronic power source, controls the voltage supplied by the power source. Therefore, the power supply and the wire feeder are connected by a control cable. In addition, the wire feeder controls the shielding gas flow. The shielding gas required for welding is obtained either from the gas tank or from the gas network.

MIG welding machines manufactured in Kemppi are often modular structures, and the cooling device, power supply and wire feeder can be freely selected according to requirements. The wire device can be disconnected from the power source, making it unnecessary to move the entire welding machine from one workstation to another.

Devices can also have a replaceable control panel and separately activated additional features.

During welding, the gun heats up, so it should be cooled with gas or liquid. In gas welding guns, the shielding gas flowing to the gun through the welding cable simultaneously acts as the gun cooler. Liquid-cooled fluids require a separate coolant that will recycle the coolant inside the welding cable into the gun.

The structure of the MIG / MAG welding machine is limited by the wire welding coil inside the machine. The coil is often a heavy and long-lasting component. Despite this, state-of-the-art MIG / MAG welding machines are stylish, compact machine packages, such as the Kemppi MinarcMig Adaptive 180, which won the 2006 Red Dot Award for Industrial Design.

Check out the Kemppi MIG welding equipment

TECHNIQUE

In MIG / MAG welding, the welding tool is a welding gun. It is used to introduce a wire of filler material, shielding gas and the required welding current into the workpiece. The most important issues related to MIG / MAG welding are the welding position, the angle of the welding gun, the length of the wire protrusion, the welding speed and the shape of the molten welding pool.

The bow is ignited by the trigger in the gun, and the gun is then moved at a constant welding speed along the welding groove. The formation of molten weld must be observed. The position and distance of the welding gun in relation to the workpiece must be kept constant.

It is especially important that the welder concentrates on melting welding control at all times. The moment of wandering thoughts increases the risk of welding error. In such cases, it is advisable to stop welding for a moment and then continue.

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