There are two main processes used within the welding industry. These are MIG welding and TIG welding and, depending on the project you are looking to complete, choosing the right process is essential if you want to avoid issues such as corrosion, weaker bonds, or even a total failure in the binding of the weld.
Although both of these popular welding techniques are similar in manner ways, there will be instances where MIG welding or TIG welding will produce higher quality results. In this article, we explain both of the processes in more detail, as well as the main differences between them.
What Is MIG Welding?
Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding – also commonly referred to as Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) – involves a wire being constantly fed through a welding gun at a steady pace. This is one of several welding techniques that use electricity to melt and join pieces of metal together, and has been widely used since 1948. Over time, the popularity of MIG welding has grown significantly thanks to its ease of use and speed, which even enables those with less experience to successfully weld.
Many people say that creating an effective weld through Metal Inert Gas is as easy as using a glue gun. Of course, it is not as simple as this but many people can produce great results by understanding the basics of this popular process, which is the reason why it has grown in popularity over the years.
What Is TIG Welding?
Similar to MIG Welding, Tungsten Inert Gas welding (TIG Welding) also uses electricity to melt and join pieces of metal together, although it is a more difficult welding technique to master. It is also a more expensive technique when compared to other methods. Despite this, the results achieved through TIG Welding are incredible, so it is certainly worth taking your time to master the process, if possible.
Since its invention in the 1940s, the popularity of TIG welding has grown massively thanks to its range of versatility, suitability to weld a range of different metals, cleanliness, and minimal finishing requirement, although the process does require a much higher level of skill for the welder, as already mentioned.
Tungsten Inert Gas welding requires heat, shielding and filler metal. The electricity that passes through the tungsten electrode produces heat that, subsequently, creates an arc to the metal. Compressed gas then protects the weld area from the air, and it is this part of the process that requires the most skill due to it being an extremely precise process. At the same time as the gas is protecting to weld area, the welder must also start to manually dip the welding wire into the arc and fill it to fuse the metal together.
The Differences Between MIG Welding And TIG Welding:
It is true that both processes are very similar in many aspects, as they both create a weld using an electric arc, but they are also very different in other vital areas too. For example, the way in which the electric arc is created differs greatly between them both, as a continuous wire feed is used to create a spark and form the weld during MIG welding, whilst the TIG welding process uses extreme heat, achieved via non-consumable tungsten welding rods, to melt the metal and form the weld.
Both processes can weld a wide variety of metals without any issues, but Tungsten Inert Gas welding is better suited on thicker metals, such as stainless steel, chromoly, aluminum, nickel alloys, magnesium, copper, brass, bronze, and even gold. This makes TIG welding the ideal process for welding bike frames, lawn mowers, door handles, and more.
By comparison, MIG welding is better suited on low carbon mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium, copper, nickel, silicon bronze and other alloys.
Why Use Red Box Engineering?:
Our welding experience is vast, and our welders are experienced to work with aluminium, stainless steel and mild steel using both of the MIG and TIG welding methods. With years of experience we have overcome the most complicated metal work jobs, some of which you can view via our Gallery page.
We provide services for jobs both big and small. To get a quote today contact our sales team by emailing sales@redboxengineering.com or calling on 02381 120114.
Red Box Engineering offer welding in Southampton, Eastleigh, Totton, Winchester, Salisbury, Portsmouth, Andover, Fareham, Waterlooville, Romsey, and throughout the whole of the UK.
Our welders also specialise in prototyping, so, if you are interested in this service then please click here to view our Metal Prototyping page.
