If you work as a welder, you probably know all about MIG and TIG welding already. If you work in a field like car repair, you likely know about them as well. However, if you do not work in these fields, you may have never heard of these two terms.
You can always Google something like custom welding near me if you need someone to handle a welding job for you. You can also tackle it yourself if you feel up to it. If you do decide to handle the job yourself, you will need to decide whether you will do MIG or TIG welding, though.
Let’s talk about the kinds of jobs that both these techniques work best for.
What is MIG Welding?
MIG welding is gas metal arc welding. It stands for metal inert gas. It is a popular welding process that many individuals in the construction industry and similar niches know about.
If you are going to be doing this kind of welding, it means that you are forming an electric arc. It goes between the piece of metal that you are working on and the consumable MIG wire electrode.
When you do this, it heats the piece of metal you are working on. When that happens, you can fuse the metal. It becomes malleable and easy to work with.
What About TIG Welding?
As for TIG welding, that means gas tungsten arc welding. If you’re doing that kind of welding, it indicates that you’re using a non-consumable tungsten electrode for your weld production.
In this sort of job, the electrode and the weld area are protected from oxidation. You are also able to protect them from other types of atmospheric contamination while you are working. You are using an inert shielding gas with this type of welding.
What Kind of Jobs Are Ideal for Each Sort of Welding?
If you are repairing dies or tools, you will often use TIG welding for that. You might also notice that a lot of individuals who work in the bicycle repair industry use this version. That is because you must often weld thin-wall tubing pieces with bikes that are also of a small diameter.
You can also use TIG welding if you are working with certain pipes. Usually, the kind of pipes for which you might use it are those where you want clean, high-quality welds.
If you are going to be using the MIG welding method, that is more useful if you’re going to be working on auto parts. You might also see someone use it if they are working on some heavy-duty pipelines.
You can use it for pressure vessels or sheet metal as well. You will often see someone use the MIG welding style if they are going to be working on materials like aluminum, cast iron, stainless steel, or regular steel.
As you learn more about welding, you will more easily be able to tell which of these styles works best for each individual project. Make sure to check out all our Automotive News articles for latest updates.
