Welding is an essential part of the fabrication process. New technologies have helped advanced welding techniques, and keeping up to date with these innovations and the latest trends is key to remaining competitive and offering the best welds possible for your specific application.
Most traditional forms of welding use an electric arc to generate heat and fuse metal pieces together.
As industries have progressed, so have the welding techniques that serve them. High-tech industries like transportation, aeronautics and consumer electronics require greater precision, strength, versatility and efficiency for specially welded components. The following advanced welding techniques help industries meet these requirements:
Magnetic pulse welding (MPW), or magnetic impact welding, is an advanced welding process that uses electromagnetic pressure to bond the workpieces. The process involves placing the workpieces in coils and compressing and discharging a large amount of energy extremely quickly.
The extreme discharge of electrical energy creates eddy currents that oppose each other, forcing the parts together at over 621 miles per hour (over 1,000 kilometers per hour) in a matter of microseconds.
MPW is a cold welding technique, meaning the parts are not heated before being fused. Because of this, there is no need for shielding gases or filler materials. Magnetic pulse welding is ideal for high production needs, as it can produce up to 10 pieces per minute.
Friction stir welding (FSW) is another welding process where the metals are not melted. A friction stir welding machine is used to create heat and friction that welds workpieces together. FSW is ideal for applications using dissimilar materials, but it is also suitable for copper, steel and other alloys — particularly aluminum. Friction stir welding has uses across various industries, including automotive, battery manufacturing, aviation and consumer electronics.
Explosion welding, also known as shock wave welding, uses chemical explosives to accelerate high-speed components and fuse workpieces together. This type of welding connects dissimilar metals and preserves their properties. It’s an excellent technique for large-scale welding needs where other methods might be unsuitable, such as ship fabrication.
In explosion welding, the explosive chemical is applied to the metal sheets that will bond. The explosion is initiated at one end of the top sheet and spreads evenly. The force of the explosion joins the metals while simultaneously oxidizing the metals and expelling impurities.
Ultrasonic plastic welding, or ultrasonic welding (USW), is a process that converts electrical energy into high-frequency mechanical motion. It generates frictional heat and is an excellent way to bond thermoplastics, but there are several factors to consider.
Thermoplastics should be chemically compatible to be bonded, and dissimilar plastics should have similar molecular structures to be bonded. Additionally, ultrasonic welding is only suitable for certain types of materials. The suitability depends on the material’s ability to generate frictional heat under ultrasonic vibration and its melting point.
In laser welding, high-energy laser beams fuse metal or thermoplastic parts. There are different laser welding types and options available, including highly powerful fiber lasers. Laser welding is a highly advantageous technique — the precision of lasers can produce better-quality welds and allow for faster and greater output. Additionally, you can do laser welding on a small or large scale, adding to its versatility.
Electron beam welding uses an electron gun to generate electrons and accelerate them to high speeds using electrical fields. Workpieces are joined by concentrating the high-speed stream of electrons with magnetic fields. Electron beam welding is a highly automated process, as it uses high voltages, and it must be performed in a vacuum to eliminate gas, which can affect the beams and cause them to scatter.
Electron beam welding is extremely precise, shows high-strength properties and produces quality welds free of impurities because of the vacuumed environment.
Automation, robotics and technological solutions like the Internet of Things (IoT) help power advanced welding technologies and are essential to the future of welding. The following technologies are finding a greater place in the welding industry:
Exploring advanced welding techniques can help you produce precise, quality welds, improve cycle times, and reduce distortions and reworks. These techniques also broaden the welds you can accomplish and help expand high-tech industries with precise requirements.
At Meritus Gas Partners, we partner with trusted gas distributors that provide cutting-edge welding supplies, equipment and solutions. Our partners have an extensive range of welding tools, abrasives, cutting automation, consumables and equipment, wire and electrodes, and welding gas solutions.
Visit any of our affiliated branches or get in touch with us today for expert guidance on advanced welding solutions and welding gas supplies.
