From the Electrode to the Wire: proving MIG welding is superior to ARC welding

Matthew Burger
Ms. Gilbert
English IV
2A
12-19-2014

You step into the shop and hear what sounds like bacon frying. You notice a man leaning
into his work area; his head and face are covered by a bulky helmet with a built in automatic
darkening lens. You watch as his hands, covered by thick leather gloves, move in a weaving
motion down the piece he is currently working on. The closer you get to the oddly clothed man,
the warmer you get. As you get closer to the man you realize the heat and frying sound are not
coming from a frying pan bun a MIG welder using an electrode fusing two pieces of steel
together. Suddenly it all makes sense: the man is a welder. There are many different welding
methods, but two of the most commonly used are MIG and ARC welding. MIG and ARC
welding have different duties in the welding industry as well as in the everyday hobby, but MIG
welding is significantly more beneficial than ARC welding in a controlled environment. When
determining which method of welding is superior, one must consider what welding is, the history
of welding, ARC welding and MIG methods, and understand types of welds and techniques used
in ARC and MIG welding, and then one must know the industries that utilize MIG and ARC
welding.
In order to determine which method of welding is superior, it is important to understand
what welding is. According to author of The Tab Guide to DIY Welding, Morley Jackson,
Welding is the process of joining two pieces or more materials so that the result is a continuous
solid (23). In many ways, all types of welding are the same. Jackson points out the similarities
in welding when he says that all welding processes have these things in common. They all have
a controllable heat source, and a method of adding filler material (The Tab Guide to DIY
Welding 23). No matter the method of welding that is used, be it brazing, TIG welding, spool
gun welding, MIG, or ARC welding, all methods require a filler material to be added in order to
combine two or more materials. MIG and ARC welding have many different benefits. Welding

allows you to combine multiple pieces of material into one. It reduces the amount of work that
would go into preparing a strong bond of a different type. You can combine two pieces of steel
relatively quickly. Jackson confirms that welding is quick enough to use a structure as a
prototype, in full size and strong enough to be used permanently (The Tab Guide to DIY
Welding 25). When deciding which type of welding is superior to the other, if considering speed,
MIG is greater than ARC. MIG has a continuous electrode while ARC only has twelve inches of
electrode before you have to grab another one.
Welding is an exceptional and fascinating process as it gives you the opportunity to give
your finished product its very own unique look. According to Jackson, Welding can also have
a joint free look, or you can make it have a natural or decorative look for people that have an
artistic talent (The Tab Guide to DIY Welding 26). This type of art has lasted through many
centuries. Jackson states that, the earliest known examples of welding, commonly called forge
welding, dates back as far as the Bronze Age (The Tab Guide to DIY Welding 35). This early
form of welding was used to create shields and weapons for the soldiers of the Bronze Age. The
art of welding continued to advance from that point on. As Jackson confirms, In the nineteenth
century electric ARC came along. Soon after WWI automatic welding was introduced. In the
nineteen-fortys automatic welding, or MIG process, was developed further and patented. Carbon
dioxide was introduced to the MIG welder in the early nineteen-fiftys (The Tab Guide to DIY
Welding 35). One of the biggest advantages using a MIG welder is you can weld thinner metals.
So, if you are wanting to restore a car, a MIG welder is the best choice due to its capability to
weld sheet metal. MIG welders produce heat from 6,000 to 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit depending
on the shielding gas, allowing MIG to weld a thinner material, while ARC welders create heat
well over 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

ARC welding or SMAW, (shield metal ARC welding), is also known as stick welding.
Stick welding is an effective method for welding most alloys or joints; ARC welding can be used
both indoors, outdoors, and even in drafty areas. Arc welding is the one that is used most
commonly because of the ability to weld rusty and dirty metals. There are two main industries
that use ARC welding: the pipe welding industry and steel building construction industry. When
ARC welding, you must first get a good ground and correctly set the amperage for your steel
thickness. To start welding you drag the electrode across the steel to get the rod warmed to get it
to ARC faster. ARC is the process of using an electrode of stick of wire coated with flux to
connect two or more pieces of steel. According to the author of Welders Handbook, Richard
Finch, Flux is a chemical powder or paste that cleans the base metal and protects it from
atmospheric contamination. Flux consists of chemicals and minerals that properly clean and
protects each type of metal (150). The welder controls the speed of the weld by how fast or
slow he or she moves the rod down the work piece. ARC welding is limited, however, in many
ways. ARC welding can only be use when welding materials no thinner that 18-gauge, ARC
welding also require frequent rod changing, emits significant spatter, and slag must be cleaned
off of the weld upon completion. Slag is the residue left over from the flux off of the welding rod
or electrode. Remember to always wear safety glass in the process of removing slag off of your
weld. Compared to Arc welding, MIG welding is cleaner, easier and can be used on either thin or
thicker plate metals.
There are three different names for MIG welding. As Finch says MIG welding or wirefeed welding, officially known as GMAW (gas metal arc welding) (Welders Handbook 11).
Both of these types can weld steel as thin as 26-gauge or 0.18 inches. MIG can be used to weld
steel, aluminum, and stainless steel. Unlike ARC welding, MIG uses a shielding gas to keep

impurities out of steel instead of flux. MIG welders use rolls of wire that can weigh a pound all
the way up to sixteen pounds compared to buying rods that dont last near the time a roll of wire
does. When MIG welding there isnt near the waste. With on the average only 6 foot of wire
wasted on the average when changing the rolls of wire out. You dont have inch long pieces
laying around to step on, interfere with you, and to burn surrounding objects. MIG wire doesnt
attract moisture like the flux on welding rods, allowing for less waste as the wire does not go bad
unlike the rods. As MIG does not have flux on the wire, the haze that is seen on the steel and
surrounding areas when ARC welding is not as present.
When MIG welding you must first get a good ground as when you ARC weld. Instead of
having a rod, you have wire that should only stick out a maximum of three eighths on an inch.
On MIG welders you have two knobs one to adjust the voltage and the other that controls the
wire feed speed. Finch points out that the gun is positioned over the weld seam. The trigger is
then pulled, activating the direct current, positively charging the wire electrode, reverses the
polarity and the gas flow (Welders Handbook 98). One major advantage MIG welding offers is
that the gun fits in a lot more spaces compared to ARC welding. One of the major downfalls of
MIG is not being able to weld in drafty areas, but you would have a hard time finding a
fabrication shop without a MIG welder. There are many different positions to weld in as well as
many different projects you can do with steel, and a few different techniques people often use.
There are so many different things you can do with a welder and some steel. As Jackson
says Steel allows you to weld, reweld, cut, bend, file, grind and more. Steel is strong and readily
available (The Tab Guide to DIY Welding 37). You must take a few things into consideration
before your start welding. The material that you are wanting to use you must prepare it, in other
words, clean it. Jackson states that to weld you must first prepare the metal. Grinding disk are
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used for removing bits of steel by grinding away at the surface. Flap disks are used for the same
just gentler and smoother finish. Wire cup brushes are used for surface cleaning and are great for
removing rust or paint (The Tab Guide to DIY Welding 75-80). Normally, if you are using a
MIG welder, you are in a controlled environment. One such environment would be a fabrication
shop. Most fabrication shops store their metal inside, away from the elements. This give MIG
welding an advantage as you dont have to clean the material before you begin. The welder must
know that Steel must be brought above its melting point of 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit when
welding.
Just like Jackson states, to weld steel you must be able to bring the steel above its
melting temperature of around 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit. When the steel melts it then can
combine with a neighboring piece of steel or filler metal, both of which must be melted (The
Tab Guide to DIY welding 23). There are many different kinds of weld joints. Some of the most
commonly used joints are Butt joint, corner joint, edge joint, and lap joint. Jackson breaks down
each of the joints: Butt joint welds are connections where two pieces are welded end to end at
180 degrees. Corner joint welds are when two pieces of steel are joined perpendicular, 180
degrees and 0 degrees. Edge joint welds are when two pieces of steel are joined parallel and Lap
joint welds are when two pieces of steel overlap (The Tab Guide to DIY Welding 34). There are
many terms that experienced welders use that few other people understand. These are just a
couple of the many chamfering, and stick out. Jackson states, when you grind the corner of a
piece of steel is called chamfering, also known as Knocking off (The Tab Guide to DIY
Welding 87). Stick out is the space between the electrode and where you are going to weld.
Jackson confirms that, stick out is the distance between your electrodes to the weld area. The
ideal distance for MIG is a quarter inch to three eights of an inch (The Tab Guide to DIY

Welding 202). If you have any experience with an instructor, most have heard of the push and
pull method of welding. As Jackson explains, Pushing your weld means that the angle of your
gun points in the direction of travel. Pulling your weld means that the direction of the gun angles
away from the direction of travel. (The Tab Guide to DIY Welding 206, 207) Many instructor
say that it is more beneficial in your part to push the weld rather than pull it. If your talk to more
than one welder, you will find out that there are many different motions that welders will use
while welding with MIG. Jackson confirms that, There are many types of weaving motions
people use for MIG welding. Some of them are Zig Zags, Crescent shapes and various cursive
letters (The Tab Guide to DIY Welding 207). When welding you always want the best
penetration you can get in the steel. To do this you must remember the angles at which you weld.
Author Jackson implies, When welding flat you want a ninety degree angle, when welding a lap
you want a sixty degree angle, and when welding a TEE you want a forty-five degree angle
(The Tab Guide to DIY Welding 206). You can weld in any position and the correct angle but it is
easier with certain welders.
With such a vast variety of positions and angles to weld, the auto industry took welding
to a whole new level. The auto industry uses automated welding robots to build the frames of
their vehicles. These robots use MIG welders due to their continuous electrode and robots ability
to repeat the same actions over and over. Another industry that that uses automated welding
robots is Dodge motorsports. Tom ODell, a specialty vehicle Engineer from Dodge motorsports
engineering, explains the new process gave us a competitive advantage in the repeatability,
weld quality, cost and accuracy and part consistency at the end of assembly (Lincoln Electric
Robotic welding gives Chrysler-Dodge Motorsports a competitive edge). Using a Robotic
MIG welder allows for consistent travel speed and welding angles. The boat industry is also

another large industry that uses MIG welders due to their capability to weld both steel and
aluminum. Author Dave Almy, Welding Engineer at Miller electric states, aluminum was has
been and continues to be a staple in industries ranging from aerospace to shipbuilding, as well as
trailer fabrication (Miller Electric Pulsed MIG Welding on Aluminum: The details and
advantages).One company that builds aluminum patrol boats is Mission Marine out of
Sandusky, Ohio. Mission Marine President Bill Waldock says, We make vessels that go out at
night with winds at 50 or 60 miles per hour. Our customers are betting their lives on our welds.
These are boats that only go out when no one else will- when people could die. If a weld fails,
you have potential for the boat to fail (Lincoln Electric Pulse-on-Pulse). Mission Marine
relies on MIG welders to hold their patrol boats together. If a MIG welder did not secure the
patrol boats properly, another option would have to be found. One of the industries that uses
ARC welding are pipeline companies, as ARC welding is better able to weld in windy areas.
Even pipeline welders have brought MIG welders in on the job. One of the companies that did
this was Valentine Maritime. Subash Nair manager of Valentine Maritime states with the wire
welder superior feed-ability and performance productivity improved by nearly twenty percent
(Lincoln electric Sweet results from sour service). Another industry that uses ARC welding is
underwater welding. Underwater welders weld boats, dams, barges, and pipelines. Above all
MIG welding is used more than all other different welding methods.
There are many different welding methods, but two of the most common are MIG and
ARC welding. MIG welding has proven to be significantly better that ARC welding in a
controlled environment. One must know what welding is to decide which method of welding is
superior. Welding is the process of bonding two materials together into a continuous solid. The
history of welding has been around since the Bronze Age and has no sign of ending anytime

soon. Both ARC and MIG have many similarities, yet are very different in their techniques and
purposes. MIG welding has even went on to prove its self in competing with ARC in industries
such as the pipeline industry. All forms have their pros and cons, but MIG welding is the best
choice for welding in a controlled environment.

Works Cited
Almy, Dave. "Pulsed MIG Welding on Aluminum: The Details and Advantages." Miller Electric.
N.p., 6 Feb. 2014. Web. 17 Dec. 2014. <http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/articles/pulsed-migwelding-on-aluminum--the-details-and-advantages>.
Finch, Richard. Welder's Handbook. New York: Penguin Group, 2007. Print.
Jeffus, Larry. Metal Fabrication. N.p.: Delmar learning, 2004. Print.
Morley, Jackson. The Tab Guide to D.I.Y. Welding. New York: McGraw Hill Education, 2013. Print.
"Pulse-on-Pulse." Lincoln electric. N.p., Apr. 2006. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/support/applicationstories/Documents/articledocuments/nx4320.pdf>.
"Robotic Welding gives Chrysler-Dodge Motorsports a Competitive edge." Lincoln electric. N.p.,
Aug. 2008. Web. 15 Dec. 2014. <http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/support/applicationstories/Documents/articledocuments/nx4400.pdf>.
"Sweet results from sour service." Lincoln electric. N.p., May 2012. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.
<http://www.lincolnelectric.com/en-us/support/applicationstories/Documents/articledocuments/LincolnValentineWPReprintMay2012.pdf>.