DigytaliaYou May Ask “What Is Welding”? I will try to explain to you in the most “easy to understand” way I can.
Welding at it’s most basic, is simply to use a heat source to melt two materials together, this can be done to:
Form a weld bead for such things as hard facing
OR
To join two similar materials together using different weld types. eg. fillet weld, butt weld.
Some welding requires the use of a filler metal to be added, which adds extra metal to reinforce or strengthen the weld.
If asked about welding, most people might think of metals being joined together but other materials such as plastics can also be welded using a different heat source and techniques.
Where Does The Heat Come From?
The most common modern heat source is electricity, which produces in the range of 6000 and 10 000 degrees Celsius.
While fuel gas and oxygen (oxy acetylene) is still used for welding by some people it is mostly used for pre heating metals in preparation for welding with an electric arc.
Oxy acetylene is still used by some plumbers to braze or silver solder copper plumbing fittings, although many use a form of LPG for this. Other plumbers opt for pex pipe and crimp fittings as well as push together fittings.
Other common heat sources include, explosives, friction and thermite.
Welding Versus Brazing:
Welding
When joining metals by welding, you are melting the pieces of metal (called parent metal) together while in most cases you are also adding extra metal (filler) to form a weld bead that is the required shape and size to produce a strong weld.
Brazing
When joining metals by brazing you are not melting the pieces of metal (called parent metal) together but melting another metal with a lower melting point in between the pieces of parent metal
Welding Can Be Dangerous!!!
I Don’t Mean To Scare You… But
There are many substances that should not come into contact with welding and you should be particularly careful when cleaning metal before welding.
For example, Do Not clean with a chlorinated degreaser to clean metal before welding, the fumes can kill you or cause permanent severe damage.
