Welders come in many sizes, prices and types to fit the needs of most everyone, from the Home Shops to the Industry. Welding equipment includes two basic types of welders, Alternating Welding Current (AC) and Direct Welding Current (DC). These welders provide the best outcome for any project, major or minor.
The concept of a welder has been around since the late 1800s. It was not until the mid-1900s though, that the first methods of welding were perfected and successfully used. Thanks to the discovery of the electric ARC by Humphry Davy in 1800 (wikipedia)and the development of an ARC Welder process by Charles L. Coffin was possible in the late 1890s. These early discoveries paved the way for all the different welding methods used today. We will provide a brief overview of some of the different ways modern welding is performed.
The MIG Welder uses a welding gun that feeds a continuous wire electrode with a shielding gas in order to create a weld. Typically, direct current is used for this process, but alternating current can be used as well. This one method is quick and lends itself to the automation process. It is used in the automobile industry and incorporated in the line production of automobiles. MIG Welders were formally known as Gas Metal Arc Welding.
A TIG Welder uses a welders torch, and a tungsten electrode with a shielding gas and a constant current supply to complete the weld. TIG Welders are much more complicated than MIG Welders since the length of the electric arc produced is relatively short. Due to this fact, care must be taken that the workpiece and the electrode do not come into direct contact. One industry that utilizes TIG Welding is the aerospace industry. TIG Welders were formally known as Gas Tungsten ARC Welding.
Stick Welder uses an electrode, electrode holder, a power supply and welding cables to perform the weld. It is one of the more popular methods of welding in part due to its simplicity, and the affordability of the materials used in this method. It is used largely in industrial fabrication but is also used by hobbyists as well. Stick Welders are usually a manual form of welding and is versatile in that it can be used on stainless steel, carbon steel, and cast iron. Stick Welders were formally known as Shielded Metal ARC Welding.
A Plasma Cutter uses a plasma torch and an inert gas that is blown from a nozzle at high speed to slice through steel and other thick metals. There are two ways to do this. One is the HF contact type, which requires the torch to be in contact with the work surface, then uses a high frequency, high voltage spark to initiate the arc. The other is a pilot arc type. This one uses a high voltage but low current to initiate the arc and does not need to be in direct contact with the surface of the metal.
The Multiprocess Welders are able to do what a TIG Welder, Stick Welder, and Plasma Cutter do. Welder-plasma cutter combo a cost-effective, time-saving way to complete multiple tasks with a large variety of metals. These devices are designed to provide the same outcome and effectiveness one would expect from any single device. In short, it is an All-in-one tool.