Tino
Member
- Messages
- 457
- Location
- G.B. Lancashire
That's it, time to have a rant. I'm ****** at people knocking M.I.G welding. I've just read yet another thread with some one pretty much stating that M.I.G is an inferior process. This is something I have heard many times over the last almost 30 years that I've been welding. Spouted by know all welders and platers along with “M.I.G is easy”, meaning it isn't skilled like T.I.G, gas, or stick. A really stupid thing to say as it has allowed employers to use the semi skilled excuse to reduce the wage bill. First off M.I.G is NOT a poor quality process, on the contrary it is a high quality process, more of which in a moment. Second if M.I.G is so easy why do I see so many failures caused by welders getting it wrong! It is so easy that even with (I'm blowing my own trumpet a bit I know) all my years of experience it can take me (depending on the set) several days of welding to set up a new machine. Sure I can put a run down after a few minuets, but getting each setting just how I want it, fine tuning it, that takes time. As for skill, once any welding operation under way as far as I can tell the hand skills are very similar and quality M.I.G welding is without doubt as skilled as quality welding with any other process. That brings me back nicely to quality and how inferior M.I.G welds are (usually in comparison with stick and T.I.G) this is NOT true. For example T.I.G is a slower process this gives more heat over more time which equals a greater heat affected zone and stick even with low hydrogen rods dosen't match the low hydrogen content of weld produced by a M.I.G.(Ssab Oxelosund's figures). Each process has advantages and disadvantages all are capable of (in the right hands and conditions) producing very high quality welds. So if you hear some one say M.I.G is no good ask them why, because may be they know something I don't and I would really like to know. But my bet is they will be talking s**t!