GMA Welding

What is Gas-Shielded Metal Arc Welding?

Gas-Shielded Metal Arc Welding

Gas-shielded metal arc welding is an arc welding process where an endless wire electrode melts under a shielding-gas cover which protects the welding zone against environmental influences. This process is characterised by high versatility with respect to the material, the degree of mechanisation and the welding position. Gas-shielded metal arc welding can be used for almost all weldable materials.

Unalloyed and alloyed steels are preferably welded with active gases, e.g. carbon dioxide. This process variety is called metal active gas welding, in short MAG welding. High-alloyed steels and materials like aluminium, magnesium, nickel-based materials and titanium are welded with inert gases, e.g. argon. The process variety used in this case is called metal inert gas welding, in short MIG welding.

Gas-shielded metal arc welding can be used for joining thin sheets with a material thickness from 0.8 mm as well as for welding thicker sheets with a material thickness of more than 10 mm. GMA welding can be used with hand-guided torches as well as with fully mechanical support systems like portals or robots.

Increased Productivity through the Further Development newArc

With newArc Kjellberg Finsterwalde has developed a technology which significantly increases the productivity compared to conventional GMA welding due to a higher constriction of the arc: With a stick-out of up to 40 mm, newArc allows a considerably deeper penetration. The newArc torch convinces with extremely high direction stability and forceful seam tracking. Compared to the conventional GMW spray arc, newArc has clear advantages: considerably reduced energy input per unit length, increased welding speed, deep and stable root formation, high seam quality, no undercuts, pores and spatter. Thus, the newArc technology results in narrow and almost flawless weld seams.

The newArc technology is used, among others, in mechanical engineering and plant construction, aparatus and container engineering, ship and vehicle construction, engineering of construction vehicles and is also suited for the use with robots.