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Metal inert gas (MIG) and metal active gas (MAG) welding is the most common welding method in Europe, U.S. and Japan. The high productivity offered by this method and the fact that it is simple to automate have contributed to its popularity.
The principle of MIG/MAG welding is that a metallic wire is fed through the welding gun and melted in an arc. The wire serves the dual purpose of acting as the current-carrying electrode and the weld metal filler wire. Electrical energy is supplied by a welding power source. A shielding gas that flows through the gas nozzle protects the arc and the pool of molten material.
The shielding gas is either inert (MIG) or active (MAG). In this context, an inert gas is one that does not react with the molten material. Examples of gases in this category are argon and helium. Active gases, on the other hand, participate in the process between the arc and the molten material. Argon containing a small proportion of carbon dioxide or oxygen is an example of an active gas. |
