Welding is a process which is in used to join any two metals. In ARC welding two metals are joined together using electrical current. The electric current produces the heat needed for welding. The electric current passes through the MMA welding machine through the torch and electrode to the work piece. An arc is created around 6000 degrees F or more. This melts the filler rod and the metal that is being welded and a weld pool is developed. A flux is formed around the weld and this provides stability to the arc and gives protection from weld contamination. This flux is then removed by using a wire brush or a chipping hammer. The electric power source used for this is AC/DC current.

ARC welding is used in mining, oil extraction, gas extraction, industries, drilling, sand and gravel digging etc. So, the welder finds employment in the metal industry, steel industry, smelting and refining industry and etc. It is also useful in places where repairs are conducted and where bridges, agricultural equipments and utilities have to be maintained. It is also useful in scrap yards.

There are four types of ARC welding:

1. Shielded metal welding (SMAW) or Manual Metal ARC welding (MMW), which is used in repair and construction work. It requires simple and minimum equipment and operator training.

2. Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) which has high speed but is less versatile welding process.

3. Flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) which is more expensive than the others. It has a higher welding speed and also metal penetration.

4. Submerged arc welding (SAW) which is the arc is struck beneath a covering layer of flux. In this, the contaminants in the atmosphere are blocked by the flux. So, the arc quality is increased when this process is adapted.

The pros of ARC welding are:
The equipment that is used for welding purposes is not very expensive and can be afforded by all. It is also easy to use. This makes it very convenient for people who want to weld using ARC welding.

You will generally think of welding equipment as being unwieldy and heavy. The equipment used in ARC welding is portable making it very easy for use in all places. It can be taken to any place and can also be inside a confined place.

It is not necessary to have auxiliary gas shielding.

The reason that it is most used is that it is suitable for welding most metals and alloys. So, you need not go in for different types of welding and can do with ARC welding.

The cons of Arc welding are:

There is need to replace the weld electrode in ARC welding frequently. So, care should be taken to do it whenever necessary.

The rate of deposition is lower then continuous electrode process.

It is necessary to remove the slag from the weld.

When welding, very bright is produced. The welding operator should be very careful and wear protective glasses. The welder should also wear protective gear, so that he is protected from electric shock, burns and other problems that might arise while welding due to the high intensity of heat.

Welding is an essential process for joining two metals and arc welding is most commonly used because of the minimum equipment used and a person with minimum training. So, you should consider the pros and cons before starting to arc weld. Since the cons can all be taken care of and arc welding is a very useful and simple process for welding, people should use it for welding purposes.

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