history of  mig welding 

MIG welder is a must at most welding shops. It is one of the most famous methods today as it also can be controlled by robots. It is simple enough that it also can be operated at home by the enthusiast. You only need a few tools and you already can make amazing welds with a little bit of practice. However, the MIG welding evolution itself started over sixty years ago. That is when people first started learning the use of consumable wire electrodes in producing an electric arc, to melt and join separate pieces of metals together.

Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), sometimes referred to by its subtypes metal inert gas (MIG) and metal active gas (MAG) is a welding process in which an electric arc forms between a consumable MIG wire electrode and the workpiece metal(s), which heats the workpiece metal(s), causing them to fuse  (melt and join). Along with the wire electrode, a shielding gas feeds through the welding gun, which shields the process from atmospheric contamination

 

You might be wondering what does a MIG stands for in welding. Well, MIG actually stands for Metal Inert Gas. This is a welding process where an electric arc is created between a base metal and wire electrode (filler wire) that heats the metal, thus causing them to melt and eventually join.

 

The principles of MIG welding actually started to establish in the 19th century, with the discovery of electric arc by Humphry Davy in 1800. At first, carbon electrodes were utilized, yet in the late 1800s, the metal electrodes had been developed by C.L. Coffin and N.G. Slavianoff.

 

Some forerunners to modern MIG welding were actually invented in the early 20th century. However, these didn’t rely on inert gas to protect the weld and they were not ideal for use because of some shortcomings in the technology.

 

It was in 1948 that Batelle Memorial Institute invented the modern gas metal arc welding or GMAW. This is considered to be the early version of MIG welding, which used a smaller diameter wire as an electrode, compared to the ones used before. Thanks to this it was possible to start using this technique on thinner materials like we do today.
Mid-20th Century

 

Since the shielding gas, which the MIG welding depends on was expensive for the steels, the process was too costly and the welders were only limited to welding materials such as aluminum.

 

This changed in 1953 when Lyubavshkii and Novosiloov succeeded when they made use of carbon dioxide as a gas shield after their numerous failed attempts in 1924. Their work did not just make wire feed welding more inexpensive, but it also gave an opportunity for welders to work with regular steel in various thicknesses, as it helps to penetrate more deeply.

 

In 1958, a variation of GMAW that used a shorter arc was released. The use of electrode wire with smaller diameter enabled short-circuit transfer that utilized lower heat levels. This became so popular because of its ease of use and versatility. Now it was possible to weld thin materials with MIG effectively.

The 21st century is the real golden age of MIG welding. And even though GMAW is not suitable for welding outdoors, in space or underwater, its use is still extensive. MIG welding has been put in the hands of robots who use the process in the mass production of different products and goods.

 

This is all thanks to the improvements through the decades, as well as the hard work of numerous scientists and inventors who kept on revolutionizing and innovating until the GMAW became what it is today.

 

Nowadays, the advancements are made by different companies who’ve been relying on modern technology to study the arcs’ characteristic. All of these innovations may allow MIG to be used more often in some other, least developed counties as well.

 

With the modern-day scientists and inventors making much newer methods of welding like friction welding or laser welding, there are high anticipations that the future is really bright for MIG welding. We will surely see more and more innovations that will revolutionize the industry further, as well as build on MIG’s rich history.