What is MIG - MAG and VIG Welding?
There are many methods and varieties that are used for welding, but the most popular are mainly two: MIG - MAG and "wig" welding.
MIG (Metal Inert Gas), MAG (Metal Active Gas), and TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding are all types of arc welding. They use an electric arc to generate heat that melts the metal, and a shielding gas to protect the weld pool from contamination.
While MIG welding is a semi-automatic welding process that requires a filler wire to be fed through a gun, MAG welding uses a shielding gas that contains an active component such as oxygen, and TIG welding is a manual process that uses a tungsten electrode to create an arc and a separate filler wire for the weld pool.
All of these welding processes have their own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of which to use will depend on the materials being welded and the requirements of the project.
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What are MIG - MAG and VIG Welding[/caption]
What is MIG - MAG and VIG welding?
Both welding methods are applied in a protected gas environment. The differences come from the fact that wig welding is done with the help of a non-melting electrode, while in MIG-MAG it happens with a melting electrode.
We will look at the two welding methods separately to see more clearly the differences in the technological process.
Welding with wig method
Generally speaking, wig welding is performed by means of an electric arc and in a protected environment, where a non-fusible filler material (electrode) is used.
The electrodes used are usually either pure tungsten or tungsten alloyed with yttrium, lanthanum or other additives.
The protective medium is usually pure argon (99.98%), argon + oxygen or technical helium.
Principle of Wig Welding
In this method, arc welding is used, the arc being reproduced between the electrode and the article to be processed. Arc power can be either a direct current or an alternating current.
The use of the direct current in the wig welding method can be applied to all metals, except aluminum, magnesium, or their alloys. The arc produced when using direct current has strong burning and a better concentration of heat on the treated metal.
Since this type of welding activity requires the arc to melt the metal, the welding method is most often used for welding products with a thickness of no more than 4 - 5 mm.
Wig welding can be done manually or mechanized. In manual welding, the torch is held in one hand and the additional element (electrode) in the other, while in mechanized welding, the torch and the wire are moved automatically.
In addition, welding can be performed without additional material or with additional material (tungsten electrode or wire).
The additional materials that are used in the wig method of welding are determined according to the type of current that is used, in direct current welding the electrodes that are used are tungsten with additional ingredients, while in alternating current welding pure tungsten electrodes are used .
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Principle of Wig Welding[/caption]
Advantages:
· Through this welding method, all types of metals can be processed;
· The quality of the welds is very high;
During welding, spatter and slag are not formed, which means that the welded elements do not need subsequent processing to remove irregularities;
· The Vig method can be applied in all spatial positions and positions.
Disadvantages:
· This method of welding is less productive, as it works at low speeds and its productivity depends on how qualified the welder is ;
· It is possible that thermal deformation of the welded part may occur, which will lead to significant distortions of the final product;
· The strength and quality of the weld depend on the qualification and skill of the welder.
Application:
This welding method finds a very wide application not only in industry but is also often a preferred method of welding metals at home.
TIG welding was developed in the middle of the last century for the needs of aviation and initially, the shielding gas that was used was technical helium.
The method has different names in different countries, and its international name is
· TIG - T = Tungsten, I = Inert, G = Gas.
· In Bulgaria it is called VIG - B = Tungsten, I = Inert, D = Gas,
· IIn the USA - GTAW - G = Gas T = Tungsten A = Arc W = Welding
· In other European countries it is called WIG - WIG - W = Wolfram I = Inert G = Gas.
In the beginning, we mentioned that in order to understand more clearly the differences between the main welding methods, we need to understand what mig - mag and vig welding are.
Therefore, we continue with the consideration of the second method of welding, namely flash-mag welding
Flash welding - magic method
Here is the place to make a little clarification...
When welding is carried out in a shielded environment of inert gas, then the method is called "flash", and when the shielding gas interacts with the metal, welding is called "mag".
MIG-MAG welding is performed with a melting electrode. During operation, the welding arc is ignited between the melting electrode and the welded product, and the whole process is again carried out in an environment of the protective gas.
The shielding gas that can be used in Mig-Mag is argon, carbon dioxide, or another gas mixture. The filler material used in this welding method can be of different chemical compositions, depending on the metal to be welded.
The difference between the vig and Mig-Mag methods is that while in vig welding the additional material is most often supplied in the form of an electrode, in mMig-Mag welding an electrode is used in the form of a wire wound on a roll which is fed to the welding machine apparatus.
The other main difference between the two methods is that MIG welding can be done mechanized, robotic or semi-mechanized.
Principle of the moment - MAG welding
In the flash-mag welding method, an electric arc is ignited between the melting electrode (wound on a dress wire) and the metal being welded. The power of the current that is supplied to the MIG-MAG apparatus is of high density (100 - 400 A/mm2), which creates favorable conditions for greater productivity in this welding method.
The strength of the current that is supplied to the welding apparatus is adjusted by means of a switch, and the wire is fed at a speed that corresponds to the type and thickness of the metal element that is being welded.
The interesting thing about this type of welding is that the melting electrode plays the role of both the carrier of the electric arc and the welding material.
Advantages of the moment - mag method of welding
· Through this method of welding, ceiling and vertical welds of high quality and precision can be realized ;
· Weld seams are smooth, clean, and without hollows;
· With the flash-mag method, all types of welding are possible, including spotting of metal elements of different thicknesses and sizes (from details of very small sizes to sheet metal with a thickness of more than 0.6 mm);
· The productivity of MIG-MAG is much higher compared to the vig method;
· During welding, the heating of the processed element is reduced to a minimum, which allows metal parts to be welded with MIG-MAG without the risk of deformation.
Disadvantages:
Such can hardly be detected due to the fact that regardless of the type of welding arc, this method shows much better results compared to all other welding methods.
However, as a disadvantage, it can be pointed out that since the method works in a protected environment and with inert gas, factors such as wind, current and others have an influence on the welding process. That's why MIG-MAG can only be used in closed rooms or places under the covenant.
Application:
Mig - mag welding finds a very wide application literally everywhere - from the chemical industry, machine building, and automotive, to the construction of pipelines and repairs and welding activities in the home workshop.
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Welding[/caption]
We briefly looked at the question of what MIG-MAG and wig welding is, and we hope that we have been useful both for professional welders and for those who just want to do welding of metal structures.
In conclusion, we can say that both methods of welding have their advantages and disadvantages, but both MIG-MAG and vig welding is very widely used in all areas of industry and household needs.
In addition to these two popular welding methods, several other methods are also of interest, the most used at home, of which is MMA or the so-called manual welding of metal. Of course, there are also laser and robotic welding and many other methods that are used to weld more specific metal structures.
Standards and Safety
Regardless of the welding method, however, it is mandatory to comply with the norms and standards in welding, which contain instructions on how the welding activity should be carried out. The norms and standards for welding specify the definitions and limitations of the procedures that can be performed with welding equipment. Common European standards and safety rules that must be observed are also indicated.
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Welding Gloves Heat/Fire Resistant Leather[/caption]
Safety measures when performing welding activities are also not to be underestimated, since accidents are not excluded in case of incorrect work with the welding apparatus.
It is mandatory for the welder to use a special mask when welding because the electric arc emits very strong light and ultraviolet radiation, which can cause damage to the welder's eyes.
In addition to special glasses or a mask, the welder must also be equipped with protective clothing, because sometimes sparks are released during welding, which, if they stick to the worker's clothes, can cause burns to the clothes and skin.
Leather gloves are also a must for the above reasons.
If welding is carried out in closed rooms, they must be well-ventilated so that the welding fumes can be carried away from the work site/room.
Conclusion
In conclusion, MIG, MAG, and TIG welding are all types of arc welding that use an electric arc to generate heat and melt the metal.
They differ in the type of shielding gas used and the method of filler wire feed. MIG welding uses inert gas and a filler wire is fed automatically, MAG welding uses active gas and TIG welding uses a tungsten electrode to create an arc and a filler wire is added by hand.
The choice of which process to use will depend on the materials being welded and the requirements of the project.
Each process has its own advantages and disadvantages, and a proper understanding of each will help in selecting the most suitable welding process for a specific application.