The welding of aluminium and its alloys

MIG welding

7.1 Introduction

The metal arc inert gas shielded process, EN process number 131, also known as MIG, MAGS or GMAW, was first used in the USA in the mid 1940s. Since those early days the process has found extensive use in a wide range of indus­tries from automotive manufacture to cross-country pipelines. It is an arc welding process that uses a continuously fed wire both as electrode and as filler metal, the arc and the weld pool being protected by an inert gas shield. It offers the advantages of high welding speeds, smaller heat affected zones than TIG welding, excellent oxide film removal during welding and an all- positional welding capability. For these reasons MIG welding is the most widely used manual arc welding process for the joining of aluminium.