Welding
One of the main activities of our company’s work is welding materials and steel constructions, as well as assembling it afterwards.
After steel constructions designing, parts of the structure need to be connected.
What does this process mean?
It is the cheapest way to connect two materials together. Most of all, there are a few methods of welding. The process itself can be made almost everywhere – outside, inside, underwater, even in space. Two materials are melted at the edges with high temperature, so that when they cool down they are a one piece. Sometimes high temperature is enough, sometimes you need to use something that will aid you. This is a material that will melt together with the pieces and fill the welding point.
What about different methods?
- MMA
- MIG/MAG
- TIG
These methods are part of the electric welding family. Meaning, between the welded materials and the electrode used for welding there is an electric arc which emits high heat. That’s the main area of expertise of Światowy Mechaniczny Produkt. The type of family depends on the source of heat, there are also:
Gas welding
Melting and connecting is performed by a gas flame. The most common type of gas is acetylene-oxygen, there is also used an aiding material in the form of steel rod that melts in the flame – the temperature goes up to 3000°C! The burner’s task is to mix flammable gas with oxygen and then burning them. This kind is still used in renovations and field work, most often while welding pipes and sheets. In the end, it’s less efficient and more expensive compared to other methods. Which leads to it being used less and less often.
Thermite welding
First of all, what is thermite? It’s a powdered mixture of iron oxide and aluminum. Due to a chemical reaction, the heat produced is used for welding. And the slag which was a side effect is used as an aiding material.
That would be all for most popular methods, and those used by us. There are also two different types that will be surely known to anybody:
- Soldering – most often associated with small electronic elements, e.g motherboard in PCs, cables, wires. It’s all about using alloys called solders. Their melting temperature is lower than the material that is being welded. There are two types of soldering:
- Soft – the solder’s melting temperature is up to 450°C
- Hard – the solder’s melting temperature is more than 450°C
The process itself is based on diffusion, meaning it’s directly connected to strength of attraction between the melted solder’s atoms and the welding material’s atoms. So the most important thing in soldering is that the surface is clean, because any dirt can ruin the quality and strength of the connection. The most commonly soldered materials are: copper and it’s alloys, zinc, steel, aluminum and it’s alloys. The heat center is usually the same as in gas welding.
- Hot-pressing – two surfaces are heated until they are plastic, then a force is used: pressing, crushing to permanently connect them.
That would be all about types this process that are the most popular. In the next article we’ll talk about MIG/MAG, MMA and TIG.
Don’t hesitate to contact us, should you have any questions. We’re waiting for your call to assist you.
