Welding is a process aimed at joining materials by heating them to the appropriate temperature and, consequently, melting them at the point of joining. There are two types of next steps in this operation, namely the binder and the no-binder method. The most common heat source in this process is the welding arc. It is created by the action of the current generated by the welding power source. Only the heat generated by the arc can be used in arc welding, which causes the parts to fuse. We call this arc welding. Most often, however, the additional material is also fused to the joint. It can be delivered via the wire feeder to which the welding gun is connected or manually as a stick electrode. Beyond that, there are at least several other types of this process.
- Gravity welding
- Laser welding
- Plasma welding
- Ultrasonic welding
- electron beam welding.
Before starting welding, the edges of the parts to be welded should be prepared to obtain the appropriate welding groove, e.g., V-shaped. During welding, the arc melts the edges of the groove and welding material. This creates a weld pool. The most common metals are aluminium, carbon steel, and stainless steel (also known as high-alloy steel). But plastics can also be welded—then the heat source is hot air or an electrical resistor.