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Welding is a skill used in many industries, from automotive maintenance to manufacturing and construction. Skilled trade workers who possess the right amount of training and experience are sought after by employers.
Knowing different types of welding can help prepare you for the field and help your resume stand out when applying for jobs.
Electric welding works by utilizing an electric arc and filler metal with a stick electrode or wire to join materials together. Commonly referred to as arc welding, four different types of electric welding are taught in the Welding Technology program at Universal Technical Institute (UTI).
Keep reading to find out more about electric welding and the benefits it offers.
Electric welding works when an electrical arc is created from an intense amount of heat. This arc gets formed between a work piece and an electrode, which can be a rod or wire that is along the joint connecting the two.
The arc created works to melt the base metal and filler metal, which combines them into one material. The filler metal gets consumed during the process. A welding circuit gets created, which is a pathway that a welding output flows through — consisting of the electrode, work cables or leads, a power source, and the electric arc.
The electrodes used during the process may be either consumable or nonconsumable, depending on which method is used. A consumable electrode will become a part of the weld bond, acting as filler material. A nonconsumable electrode remains unaffected, as a separate welding rod or wire serves as the filler material.
Some of the equipment used to make electric welds includes:
Electric welding is one of the most common welding methods, and it offers many benefits to the user. It’s the predominant method used in industries nationwide for many reasons, including:
The production rates for electric welding versus other processes are often much faster. Most arc welding machines don’t require preheating and produce higher levels of heat, which helps make for quicker welds. Setup also takes less time compared with gas welds, where gas torches and regulators need to be adjusted.
It’s easier to get more consistent and higher-quality welds with electric welding. The quality of the weld largely has to do with the higher temperatures generated during the process, which offer a better fusing of the metals and deeper penetration.
This benefit ties a bit into the speed of welds, but electric arc welds typically tend to be more efficient than other welding methods. Along with a higher production rate, they are more cost-efficient over time, especially compared with gas welds that require the frequent purchase of welding gases. Higher heat allows arc welding to be more efficient at melting metal and reduces the risk of distortion.
There are a number of electric welding methods used in the industry. Four of them are taught at UTI: gas metal arc welding (GMAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) and flux-cored arc welding (FCAW).
Find out a bit more about these methods and an additional electric welding type below:
Gas welding is often referred to as oxy-acetylene welding or oxy-gasoline welding. Instead of using electricity to generate heat like electric arc welding, gas welding utilizes flammable gases to do so.
This is the major difference between the two, although there are other differences between these techniques, including:
If you’re thinking about pursuing a career in welding, there’s no better place to start than at one of UTI’s campus locations.1 Get the training and experience you need at one of the campuses offering the Welding Technology program:
You can pursue an in-demand career doing something you love. Request more information here.
Gas welding is a popular method used for a range of applications. Learn more about it here!
Welding, brazing and soldering...what are they, and what makes them different? Click here to learn more.
Metal fabrication is a process used in numerous industries. Find out more about it here!
1) UTI is an educational institution and cannot guarantee employment or salary.
2) For program outcome information and other disclosures, visit www.uti.edu/disclosures.
Universal Technical Institute of Illinois, Inc. is approved by the Division of Private Business and Vocational Schools of the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
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