When it comes to welding, you may have heard that there are different types of welding that uses specific method and technology. The most commonly used form of welding all around the world are plasma welding and tig welding.

We often get confused between both welding processes. Therefore, in this article, we are going to provide you with a comprehensive detail about both forms of welding, and after reading it, you will be clearly able to differentiate between them.

Plasma Welding

Plasma welding is a form of welding technique in which it joints the metal using electricity. An electric arc is generated between an electrode and the metal pieces that need to be welded.

An electric arc generates the heat; as a result, it melts down the metal, and when it cools down, it weld down the metal pieces.

Required equipment for plasma welding

Generally, you need to have the following tool or equipment to use the plasma welding technique to join metals.

Power source: In order to ensure quality and efficiency, you need to provide interrupted constant power for plasma welding. Voltage and current should be as per the requirement.

Plasma welding torch: Transferred or non-transferred arc types are used in plasma welding and are generally water-cooled to increase the electrode’s lifespan and to protect the nozzle from the heat generated during the welding process.

HF generator: High-frequency generator is required in addition to the current limiting resistors to be used for an arc ignition.

Control panel or equipment: To ensure that everything runs smoothly, control equipment is required to regulate the settings and parameters as per the requirement.

Applications

Plasma welding is being widely used for many different purposes. Some of the main industries and trades include marine engineering to the aerospace industry.

From large scale to small scale, plasma cutting is also used for welding small instruments and electronics.

There are several advantages of using this technique of welding. Some of which are:

Tig Welding

Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding is a technique of welding process that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode.

It works the same way as far as the use of electricity is concerned, and as mentioned earlier, the tig welding uses a non-consumable electrode to create an arc with the metal being welded.

The arc in this method is protected by the flow of shielding gas.

The main component of tig welding includes power supply, welding torch, electrode, and shielding gas tank.

Applications

Tig welding is another popular form of welding process being used for its efficiency and reliability. From repairing work to building objects, it is used in many different industries.

Other than that, it is also used in the aerospace industry in the manufacturing of space vehicles and other equipment that requires high quality and precision.

Tig welding has its own benefit, some of which are:

Frequently Asked Questions

Is plasma welding better or tig welding in general?

You cannot specify which one is better for you unless you see the needs and requirements of a particular project.

It all depends on the type of work you are going to do with the welding and in which method you have more expertise and knowledge.

Which method gives better control and precision?

Same as above, the answer to this question will vary from person to person; some will find that plasma welding gives better control, and some will vote for tig welding.

As a matter of fact, when we compare both in terms of adaptability, precision, and control management, we find out that plasma cutting gives a bit more control to the welder and also better position.

Which one is easier?

For a beginner, both of the methods are difficult, and it will require a lot of practice and effort to become an expert. Having said that, a beginner finds tig welding to be more easy to learn than the plasma welding.

What gas should be used for Tig welding?

Pure argon gas is preferred for most of applications; however, special gases are required for critical metal types.

Performing a welding process is not a piece of cake, and you might end up getting defects in the output result even if you are an experienced welder and have all the technical knowledge and expertise.

One of the most common defects faced by the welders is undercut in the welding process. No matter how professional you perform the welding operation, an undercut can ruin all your efficiency and hard work.

Therefore it is necessary to find the root cause of the problem and get rid of it once and for all. This is precisely what we are going to do here in this article; we will analyze what is undercutting in welding, what are the causes of it, and how we can resolve this problem.

What Is Undercut In Welding?

An undercut in its original terms can be described as space that is formed due to the absence or exclusion of any material from the lower part of the object.

In the case of welding, undercutting is defined as the area that comes as a result when the weld metal fails to fill at the base of the welding material; it creates a long and narrow cut or a trough that weakens the material. It typically occurs when the material does not melt and fuse properly.

Problems Caused By The Undercut In Welding

Many problems occur as a result of undercut in welding material. Most importantly, the materials are welded to give strength and stability and are also used for removing the cracks and defects in the products,  but due to the undercutting, all these factors get highly affected.

The undercut in welding results in flagging the joining pieces and the material. It highly affects the productivity, quality, speed and also enhances maintenance and repairing cost.

The material no longer remains in a stable position and can quickly get crack or break down. There are many other complications that come as a result of undercut in welding.

Let’s go through the causes of this problem so that we eliminate or minimize it.

Reasons for undercut in welding

It is essential to know the causes which create undercut in welding. If we know it before starting the process, we can try our best to avoid those reasons. Preventing these problems will result in a good quality weld that eventually will save your time, money, and resources.

There are many factors that can cause this problem to happen; some of the main reasons are mentioned below.

Overheating and Excessive Current

The most common this which can cause the undercut in welding is overheating of the material. It happens when a welder is not well aware of the melting points and suitable temperature ranges of the welding material pieces.

In addition, the excess current flow also affects the performance and can cause an undercut in welding.

Electrode and Arc Length

Another common practice of the welders is that they do not consider the importance and versatility of the electrodes.

There are different types of electrodes made for various purposes. Choosing the appropriate electrode is crucial for performing the quality weld operation.

One other important factor related to the electrode is the length of an arc. It is important that the arc length does not go beyond the diameter of the metal portion of the core.

Welder Position and Electrode Angle

As said earlier, welding is not as easy as we think it is; it involves many complications and requires complete focus and attention to minor details.

Undercutting in welding can also be caused when the welder performs the process from the wrong side or does not get a clear view. Plus, the electrode angle and size also has a significant role and needs to be taken care of properly.

High Speed

Another important reason which causes the undercut is when the welder tries to perform the process at high speed. The welding process requires patience and complete attention.

Similarly, going too slow can also create complications. Proceeding with the normal speed is the key when doing the welding operation.

Selection of Gas Field and Ratio

When dealing with gas welding, you need to be careful about the fuel gas you choose based on the type of welding material. Inappropriate selection of gas can cause an undercut in welding.

Besides, it is also important to consider the proportion of fuel gases and oxygen as it can also cause undercut.

How to Prevent Undercut In Welding

Taking preventive measures to minimize the risks of getting undercut, and therefore, it is important to take note of these preventive techniques.

This article highlights the important factors that cause undercut and how you can take care of it. Once you have read it carefully, we are sure that you will not get undercut in welding next time you perform the welding operation.

There is no doubt that welding is a difficult job, and not everyone is capable of doing this with perfection. When we talk about underwater welding, it brings more danger and risks with it as compared to welding on the ground.

We also know the fact that the world is gradually moving towards the blue economy for the development, and for this to happen, underwater welding skill is going to be one of the most demanding and highly paid jobs.

Here in this article, specifically, we are going to discuss about the dangers of underwater welding and how we can avoid it at our level best.

To make it easy for you to understand, we also need to highlight why underwater welding is essential, why it is required, what exactly the threats are, and how we can minimize or eliminate them. All these points will be mentioned here in detail.

Why We Need Underwater Welding?

The first question that may arise in our minds is why we need underwater welding when it poses so much danger.

Well, underwater welding has become indispensable for development, manufacturing, and construction below the sea level.

The vast applications of the aquatic world require you to have the skillset, which makes you capable of welding under the water.

Importance

Underwater welding is important because of its versatile applications. Firstly, you need it to build ships, stations, oil platforms, placement of pipelines, offshore facilities, and other marine applications.

Most importantly, for exploration and preservation of marine environment and resources, repairing works, and for all such other reason, you need to have on hand experience and knowledge of underwater welding.

Does Underwater Welding Worth It?

Let’s get back to our main question of what are the threats of underwater welding and why it is dangerous. But before that, is underwater welding really a dangerous job, and is it worth it to risk your life for it? The response to this query is not as simple as saying Yes or No.

We know that the job that involves a high probability of risks and danger, the higher it pays you but not more than your life but, there is suspense, if we already know about the threats we are going to face, we can prepare to face it and can try our best to minimize it as much as we can.

Hence it is totally worth the money until and unless you are fully prepared to face it and are well aware of the danger and how you can save yourself from it.

If you have physical strength, had proper pieces of training, and are well aware of the technicalities, then you should give it a chance. If you have made it through, you are going to be one of the most demanding welders.

Why Is Underwater Welding Dangerous?

Underwater welding is considered as the most dangerous job due to its high fatality rate. If we take care of the safety protocols and procedures, we can minimize the probability of getting any harm.

This article is surely going to help you in preparing for the threats underwater welder face. The reasons why underwater welding is so dangerous are mentioned below.

Being prepared is the key, and if you are aware of the difficulties and challenges you are going to face, you can prepare for it much better; following safety protocols and proceeding with the standard procedure minimize the chances of getting in danger.

If you take notes of the certain rules and techniques, you can keep yourself safe from the hazards of underwater welding.

Underwater welders need to have an attentive mind at all times, and he needs to react to the situation within seconds. It can only be achieved once you are fully prepared for it. This article is going to be a lifesaving article for you.

What Are Lead Reels?

Lead reels are always helpful in organizing your work area; it allows you to consolidate the wires, cables, and cords of different types at one place.

Not only it helps you in easy storage, but it also makes it easy to transport the equipment without getting any damage.

An organized and maintained work area allows you to focus entirely on your work, and thus it helps in improving efficiency and quality.

No matter the type of work you are doing, a neat and clean workplace and attention to detail is what enhances the quality of the work.

Welding Lead Reels

In the case of welding, you need extreme care and attention at all times while performing the process as welding is a complete physical job, and a slight mistake can cause massive damage to the work.

The welding process involves several wires, cords, and hoses, of different types; they often get interweave and cause tripping or fire.

The worksite becomes chaotic and increases the probability of risks and hazards. More importantly, when the welders are working in a small area, they need to be more careful about it as they can easily and quickly get their foot twisted in the wires.

Therefore organizing these cables and wires is extremely important for performing the welding process.

To solve this issue, welding lead reels are used, which are specifically designed for this purpose, but it comes with another problem.

The welding lead reels available in the market are not made with good quality material; they did not last long and are much expensive.

You will see an extensive variety of welding lead reels available, still, quality material is difficult to find, welding wires and cables are costly, and you will want to keep them safe and organized in a proper way.

As you are here, this problem is going to be solved here as we are going to present you with a comprehensive guide to making your own welding lead reels with easy to follow instructions.

Make Your Own Welding Lead Reel

• Benefits

By making your own welding lead reel, you can customize it according to your requirement, can make appropriate changes in the design, and can use long-lasting and high quality material.

It does not take much time to make your own welding lead reels; plus, you will save a lot of money and resources by building a welding lead reel yourself.

• Steps To Follow

Let’s move on to the steps to make your own welding lead reels. The first in this process is to gather the required tools and equipment; for making a standard size welding lead reel, you mainly need wooden or metal plates, a rod, drill machines, and some nuts, bolts, and screws.

Safety is very important at all times; therefore, it is necessary that you follow the essential safety protocols. You can start building the welding reel once you feel ready for it.

Before starting, it is preferred to make a design or a rough sketch of the reel so that no mistake is made while making it and we get the best output result.

You can select the appropriate dimensions and make amendments to the design before actually starting to build it. Eventually, it will save your money and resources, and in the end, you will get the perfect welding lead reel.

Start making from the base by taking a steel plate; what you need to do is drill holes in it; keep in mind the size of tie bolts and dowels you are going to use.

Take another steel plate and do the same process; the plates must be of the same size and shape. Once you have drilled holes in both of the plates, now you need to connect the plates with the rod. Place the steel plates on the sides of the rod and joint it together.

Here you can use the welding machine to weld the plates and the rods, or you may also use the bolts and screws to fix the plates with the rods; for this, you will need to drill the holes in the rod as well. Choose any method you are comfortable with and can do it without any problem.

Once you have completed this process, you are done with the tricky part, and now you just need to place the rim in the desired position and weld it with the lead reel post. Make sure that the joints are appropriately linked together.

Here you go; you have successfully made your first welding lead reel with your own hands in no time. It is completely ready for the use and to make your work life comfortable, easier, and organized.

Welding is a process that is used for various applications, and knowing the art of welding yourself will make your life much easier and comfortable.

You can do a variety of DIY tasks related to different trades, which will eventually save you a lot of money and resources.

Although welding is a difficult job and is not made for everyone, and needs years of experience and technical expertise to perform a process but Oxy-Acetylene is a welding process that is not only easy to learn but also a cost-effective welding method.

What is Oxy Acetylene Welding?

Oxy Acetylene welding is also referred to as Oxy-fuel welding and gas welding. It is a type of welding process which involves liquid gas fuel to weld the materials. It is one of the oldest techniques used for welding and even used nowadays for many applications.

The oxy acetylene welding typically works with a filler material, which is selected based on the type of material that needs to be weld.

The welding is achieved when the flame produced by the fuel gases reaches to a temperature where the welding metals produce a collective pool of molten metal combined with the filler material placed along with the joining place.

• Benefits

Oxy Acetylene welding is one of the simplest and easy to learn the process of welding. It does not require complex techniques, making it easy to operate.

It does not require you to have costly equipment to make it useful, and the lightweight design makes it completely portable.

It has the ability to produce less intensity and as well as high-intensity flames making it useful for almost all kinds of metals.

It does not require much maintenance and gives better control to the welder, making it easy to achieve quality and efficiency.

• Uses

Many modern techniques and methods are now introduced, but the use of oxy acetylene is still useful for many purposes.

This welding technique is largely used for joining metals in the automotive, glass, and aircraft industries. It is also widely used for metal fabrication, repairing work, pre-heating, brazing, soldering, bending and straightening, rust removing, etc.

Plus, it is also used where there is no source of electricity power supply. In short, it has versatile uses that cannot be counted.

Equipment and Tools Required For Welding

The best thing about this welding technique is that it does not require many appliances and are not costly.

• Cylinders

To perform Oxy Acetylene welding, you mainly need one cylinder for the oxygen and a second one for fuel gas. The flame is produced by mixing the gases together with the right set of proportions. You may need one more cylinder for mixing the gases together.

• Pressure Regulators

The second most important thing you need is the regulators. It is used to regulate the volume flow of gases as per the requirements of the user.

Usually, the regulators have two integrated settings; the first is known as the fix-pressure setting, which ensures that constant gas is supplied at all times. The other setting is known as the variable setting method, which varies from time to time.

The regulators show you the cylinder pressure and as well as hose pressure through the pressure meters. It helps you in determining and controlling the required pressure.

• Flexible Gas Hoses

When dealing with the gas, you need to have gas hoses at all times. When using it for welding, special gas hoses should be purchased, which are specifically designed for use at welding processes. They are usually color coated to help you in identifying the oxygen and the fuel gas hose.

• Welding Torch

The most essential tool which is required is the welding torch. A welding torch is a thing that the welder holds to perform the process.

It is connected by the gas hoses and has cohesive valve knobs to regulate the intensity of the flame. For added safety, it may also have no oxygen-blast trigger added with the torch.

Fuel Gases

As you know that the Oxy Acetylene works when the fuel gas is combined with oxygen. The fuel gas may vary on the basis of the heat intensity required for the welding.

The most common gas used along with the oxygen in oxyfuel gas welding is acetylene. However, the other gases which can be used for oxyfuel gas welding are Hydrogen, propane, gasoline, and other similar fuel gases. Liquefied Petroleum Gas is also feasible to be used as a fuel for the Oxy Acetylene welding process.

Flame Types

When using the Oxy Acetylene welding technique, you can produce three distinct types of flames. Each type of flame is then used for a specific purpose.

The most common flame type used for welding is known as the Neutral flame, which is achieved when the oxygen and the fuel gas are mixed in equal proportion.

The second type of flame is known as the Oxidizing flame, which is achieved when the proportion of oxygen is increased, and the third type is the Carburizing flame, which is achieved by reducing the ratio of oxygen gas.

It mainly depends on the kinds of metal you are going to weld and the intensity of the temperature required for the welding process.

Safety

Welding is complicated and involves severe health risks. You need complete focus and attention while performing the process; a slight change of mind can result in huge damage.

However, the probability of risks and hazards can be minimized by following standard safety protocols and procedures.

Safety should always be a priority, and you should always take care of it first before performing any type of welding. In the case of Oxy Acetylene welding, you need to be more careful about it as you are dealing with the gas.

Always try to work in an open environment, inspect all parts for leaks, and always wear personal protective equipment. Store the cylinders separately in an upright position and keep them far from the flammable things.

Check the valves before and after the process to check if they are adequately closed or not and keep a fire extinguisher in case of emergency.

Gas welding is a skill and fun if done properly by following the safety protocols and procedure. You can achieve a perfect weld in no time if done appropriately, and by going through this article, you must have got an idea of what to do and what not to do in the oxy acetylene welding process.

Just keep an eye on the rules and procedure, and you are good to go with gas welding.