Basic Principles of Welding |
If your were to take two ice cubes from the refrigerator,
the outer surfaces under the heat of the day will begin to melt to ice water. Place the two wet cubes
one on top of the other back in the refrigerator and within a short time the two cubes are welded
together to form one block of ice. The addition of heat has melted portion of the two parts to be
joined and they both cool down to one structure, the melted section becoming an intimate part
of the bond. |
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This is the basic principle of welding - the base
materials being joined are melted at the abutting faces and become all or part of the weld. |
| Compare this with the glueing of two cubes of wood.
The wood forms no part of the bond and adhesion is achieved by the strength and intimate contact of
the glue with the two abutting surfaces. This is more akin to the processes of soldering and brazing,
where a metallic cement melting at a lower temperature than the parts being joined flows and solidifies
in intimate contact with the components to form a bond. |
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What is Arc Welding? |
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) - also known as Manual
Metal Arc (MMA) welding or stick welding - is a manual arc welding process that uses a consumable
electrode coated in flux to lay the weld. An electrical current is used to form an arc between the electrode and the metals to be joined.
As the weld is laid, the flux coating of the electrode disintegrates, giving off vapours that serve
as a shielding gas and providing a layer of slag, both of which protect the weld area from
atmospheric contamination. |
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Next - Where and How to Arc Weld
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