What is the difference between Tig and Mig Welding?

The welding industry is crucial in the construction and manufacturing work. It is highly praised for creating inseparable timeless bonds in metals.

Different types of Welding Procedure

There are four types of welding procedure which include:

• Flux-cored arc welding
• Shielded metal arc welding
• Gas metal arc welding
• Gas tungsten arc welding

In this write-up, emphasis will be given to the last two types with an incisive explanation of the difference between tig and mig welding.

What is Mig Welding?

To start with, let’s differentiate them through familiarity. MIG is an acronym for metal inert gas welding. It is a metal fabrication process which uses an incessant wire electrode attached to a welding gun and into the pool with an unreactive gas channeled through the gun to protect the welding pool from contamination.

What is Tig Welding?

Consequently, TIG also known as tungsten inert gas welding uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode in a welding torch to melt the parent metal creating a weld pool which is then manually filled with a filler wire that melts creating a bond between the metals being joined. This process takes place under the protection of a non-reactive gas (helium or argon)

Tig vs Mig Welding: 7 Crucial Differences

Having familiarized with two welding processes and how they are performed, let’s examine the tig vs mig welding

1. Area of Application

The mig welding process is used in joining thick and big metals. This is simplified by the continuous feeding of the filler material which melts and creates an integrated concrete bond of the two metals. Tig welding, on the other hand, is meant for thin and small sheets of metal preferred for its unbeatable precision and smooth finish.

2. Ease of Operation

Continuous feeding of the filler wire makes mig an easy welding operation to perform. Tig is more intricate and difficult than mig owing to the fact that both hands are at work, one holding the torch and the other the filler material yet working simultaneously to achieve a perfect finish.

3. Working Speed

MIG welds faster than tig courtesy of its simple operation process. Tig welds slower because its operation process is more detailed.

4. Work Quality

Tig takes it in this slot, it produces a perfectly smooth finish of high aesthetic value. Contrarily, mig produces a rough finish which needs further grinding and smoothening process to perfect it.

5. Electrodes

Mig utilizes a consumable metallic electrode while tig makes use of a tungsten non-consumable electrode.

6. Welding Cost

Experts rank tig above mig in terms of cost-effectiveness. This is attributed to the expensive material used in tig welding, unlike cheaper mig welding materials.

7. Powers Source

Mig welding uses the direct current of constant voltage while tig welding utilizes either direct or alternating current for welding. The power choice in tig is entirely dependent on the material being welded.

Tig vs mig welding is a vast field of differences, the above differences are just but the seven most important ones. Be sure to explore more.