Stainless steel is one of the most in-demand metals to be welded. However, it is not something that you can just weld blindly and anticipate the sound results altogether. Although it holds a special place to be rust-resistant yet when it comes to welding only precise knowledge can make you achieve smooth results.
And for starters and newbie welders, it is highly important to know the proper guide on how to weld stainless steel without deforming or damaging either the welder or the workpiece. Below we shall take a quick look at the process step-by-step.
How to Weld Stainless Steel?
Stainless steel demands precise heat management and if you apply more heat the workpiece can damage. It is complicated to take a note of everything but with practice, you can do so. In this post, we shall take note of three common stainless steel welding processes using TIG, MIG, and spot welders. However whichever welder you pick there are some guidelines to follow for instance, when you are welding stainless steel
- Keep the heat down
- Avoid large filler diameter
- Fine-tune the fit-up
- Use a filler material/electrode designed for the SS alloy
- Use the right torch angle (stick and flux-cored)
- Always choose the right wire to stick out
Welding with TIG Welding
TIG welder delivers the most quality and durable weld to stainless steel. If you weld stainless steel using a TIG welder, it uses the low heat input that ensures no to damage the thin material. Moreover, the argon gas works in combination with other gasses such as helium, hydrogen, and nitrogen but that is depending on the working approach.
Welding with MIG Welder
With a MIG welder, the stainless steel welding gets a semi-automatic approach. It also delivers the strong welding joint and the process uses argon shielding gas followed by the solid wire electrode. For stainless steel welding, MIG welders spot the hidden areas to be welded and it also incorporates a mixture of gasses such as helium, oxygen, and carbon dioxide for arc stabilization and quality weld.
Welding with Spot Welder
Spot welder or resistance welding is yet another reliable means to weld stainless steel plus it is not cost-effective. The equipment for spot welding is pretty ergonomic hence it works out the best for larger and smaller projects equally well. For its process, the spot welder features a dedicated electric current that provides heat to the metal’s edges and seals them nicely and securely. Mainly this process is productive for those metals that have a low melting point.
Conclusion
Welding stainless steel demands that you be careful and highly precise about choosing the right shielding gas, filler materials, and the welder’s setting. However, with this post, we hope you have got the idea of how to weld stainless steel with seamless performance.
If you are wondering which method of welding you should choose for stainless steel welding, it depends on the specific qualities you want. For instance, spot welders are pretty affordable, whereas for thin material types only TIG welders make useful entries.