If we go back thousands of years, we will also find welding processes. It is that the soldier has existed since approximately the year 310. Over time the process was perfected and today it is very simple to do it with a welder or welding machine. They are widely used today and are of great importance for construction.
What is a welding machine?
The welding machine is a machine that allows fixing where the union of two materials is found. The union is achieved by melting both materials or a filler material can be added that, when melted, is placed between the pieces to be welded and when it cools it becomes a fixed union.
The welding machine generally joins metals or thermoplastic materials. The energy source to carry out the welding can be gas, an electric arc, laser or even ultrasound.
What is a welding machine for?
It is more common to find welding machines in an industrial environment , in those industries more than anything where metal materials, parts, tools or machines are produced.
Similarly, in any home it is very likely to find a welder since it is common to have to perform domestic tasks where we need the union of two metals.
Types of welding machines
There are different types of welding machines depending on the particularity for which you want to use it.
arc welder
Today it is the most popular type of welder. This machine uses electrical energy with which it forms an electric arc between the metal to be welded and the electrode used. There are different types depending on the electrode to be used.
- Manual Metal Arc Welding
- gas metal arc welding
- Flux Cored Arc Welding
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
- Submerged Arc Welding
tin soldering iron
It is highly recommended for delicate work and small appliance repairs. Widely used in electronics. This machine is composed of a copper tip that is heated with electrical energy and melts.
gas welder
Used when copper or aluminum materials have to be welded . These machines use a fuel gas that makes it rub to get a flame that melts the filler metal. The molten filler material is placed in the joint which, when cooled, leaves a bead.
laser welder
They heat the area to be welded and then apply pressure, providing high precision. They are very useful for joining small areas and it is very fast, so it is also useful for mass production.
Inverter Welders
They are the latest in soldier technology. They can perform various types of welding without the need to change equipment. They also have the advantage that they are easy to transport, have a long life and the welds are more aesthetic than other machines.
How does a welding machine work?
As we saw in previous paragraphs, there are many types of welding machines where each one is used for a different task. But all of them base their operation on a way of working.
Welding machines require a source of energy (electrical, combustion, mechanical) to transform this into an energy that allows creating the fusion of the filler material that is used to join two or more elements.
As we mentioned before, these machines handle a lot of energy in the form of heat to melt the filler materials. This is why the need to take into account all the necessary security measures for the use of these machines without the person running any risk.
Parts of a welding machine
For a welding machine to work properly, it must be made up of a series of parts that we will detail below.
- Welding machine: It is responsible for transforming the energy source into the type of energy necessary to carry out the welding process.
- Electrode holder cable: This cable comes out of the winding of the welder towards the piece.
- Ground cable: This cable is connected to the part where the electrode is located.
- Amperage selector knob: Allows you to select the amperage with which the work will be carried out.
- On/off button: Allows you to turn the welding machine on and off.
