Welding Equipment
Advanced Gas & Welding Solutions, LLC. offers welding machines and accessories from leading manufacturers in the industry.
Whether you are a home hobbyist or a professional in an industrial atmosphere, we can help you choose the welder that fits your demands.
We supply:
- MIG Welders
- TIG Welders
- Stick Welders
- Engine Drives
- Multi-Process Welders
- Spot Welders
- Submerged Arc Welders
- Wire Feeders
MIG Welding
Gas Metal-Arc Welding or GMAW (as identified by the American Welding Society) is also popularly known as MIG (Metal Inert Gas) and uses a continuous solid wire electrode for filler metal and an externally supplied gas (typically from a high-pressure cylinder) for shielding. The wire is usually mild steel, typically copper colored because it is electroplated with a thin layer of copper to protect it from rusting, improve electrical conductivity, increase contact tip life and generally improve arc performance. The welder must be set up for DC positive polarity.
The shielding gas, which is usually carbon dioxide or mixtures of carbon dioxide and argon, protects the molten metal from reacting with the atmosphere. Shielding gas flows through the gun and cable assembly and out the gun nozzle with the welding wire to shield and protect the molten weld pool. Molten metal is very reactive to oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen from the atmosphere, if exposed to it. The inert gas usually continues to flow for some time after welding to keep protecting the metal as it cools.
A slight breeze can blow the shielding away and cause porosity, therefore welding outdoors is usually avoided unless special windscreens are erected.
Gas Shielded Flux Cored Arc Welding
Dual-Shielded Flux-Cored Arc-Welding or FCAW-G is a flux cored arc welding process variation in which shielding gas is supplied through the gas nozzle in addition to that obtained from the flux within the electrode.
Gasless Flux-Cored MIG Welding
Self-Shielded Flux-Cored Arc-Welding (FCAW per the American Welding Society) or flux-cored for short, is different in that it uses a wire which contains materials in its core that, when burned by the heat of the arc, produce shielding gases and fluxing agents to help produce a sound weld without need for the external shielding gas.
It achieves a sound weld, but in a very different way – with internal shielding instead of external shielding. The shielding is very positive and can endure a strong breeze. The arc is forceful, but has spatter. When finished, the weld is covered with a slag that usually needs to be removed.
A “drag” angle for the gun is specified which improves operator visibility. The settings on the wire feeder welder are slightly more critical for this process. Improper technique will have results that are magnified. This type of welding is primarily performed on mild steel applications outdoors.
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG)
GTAW – also known as Heliarc Welding, Argon Arc Welding and Tungsten Arc Welding – is an electric arc welding process that produces coalescence of metals by heating them with an arc between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the work. Filler metal may or may not be used.
Shielding is obtained from an inert gas or an inert gas mixture. The process is normally applied manually and is capable of welding steels and nonferrous metals in all positions. The process is commonly used on thin metals and for the root and hot pass on tubing and pipe.
