Arc Welder & Arc Welding Machine Suppliers

Arc welding uses a fusion welding process whereby an electric arc melts and joins metals. 

What temperature does it take to melt metals? Well, a whopping 3500 °C and an arc welder can generate this intense heat with power sourced from either an AC or DC supply.

Well, for a start there are two very distinct categories of arc welder and electrode methods – consumable and non-consumable.

• Gas metal arc welding shields base metals from contamination with shielding gas.
• Manual metal arc welding creates an arc between the metal rod and the work piece melting both surfaces to form a weld pool. Manual arc welders are perfect for joining ferrous and non-ferrous items.
• Flux-cored arc welding uses either a shielding gas or flux gas to protect against contamination and creates a constant arc length. 
• Submerged arc welding helps to stop sparks, fumes and ultraviolet radiation. 
• Electro-slag welding welds thick plates in a single pass.
• Arc stud welding joins nuts and other fasteners to metal pieces. 

• Tungsten inert gas welding creates an arc using a non-consumable tungsten electrode and protects the weld with an inert shielding gas.
• Plasma arc welding creates an electric arc between a non-consumable electrode and anode. 

An arc welder can be used for erecting steel constructions, building pipelines, repairing heavy machinery and a host of equally heavy-duty processes requiring an unbreakable connection between metals.

• Is the arc welder for high quality, professional welding or occasional maintenance?
• What materials will be welded?
• How thick are the materials?
• What is your power supply?

The cheapest arc welders cost as little as $220. However, decent, reliable welders are more in the region of $1,400 with top models offering Rolls Royce welding specs costing around $4,000.

• Spatter due to excessive current, incorrect polarity or a lack of gas shielding
• Porosity due to moisture, grease, rust or paint in the plate edges
• Undercut due to excessive arc voltage or arc length
• Deformation due to too many thin beads or a lack of clamping before welding
• Cracking due to plates that haven’t been cleaned, ground and filed for a perfect fit
• Slag due to flux trapped in the weld metal
• Brittle welds due to using bare or incorrect electrodes

Arc welding is a skilled profession requiring proper education and training via a certified course in conjunction with authorised workplace health and safety training.