Gas metal arc welding (GMAW for short) is the formal name for what everyone calls MIG welding (MIG = metal inert gas). The melt pool is shielded from oxygen by a blanket of inert gas. The same tool can be used for flux core welding, in which the electrode is hollow & filled with a substance (cellulose I think) which spews onto the melt pool to cover it & shield it from the air. FYI "gas tungsten arc welding" (GTAW) is known to normal humans as TIG welding: in principle similar to MIG but the tools & their manipulation are much different, and more difficult to master, than MIG.

Then there's plain ol' gas welding, which is the acetlyene torch thing.

Shielded metal arc (SMAW), also called "stick welding," is probably the easiest process to learn. It's like flux core welding, except that the flux is on the outside of the electrode, not inside, and the electrode is fed into the weld by hand, not mechanically. Essentially useless for our cars, whose sheet metal is too thin for the process, but easy to learn and for that reason I'd suggest this course first. I bet the intro course has to do with administrative issues, like certification.

So if you're not in a flaming hurry, I'd suggest taking the SMAW course this semester and GMAW 1 next semester-- but DON'T take my advice-- rather, consult the guys teaching these courses. Phone the school and ask to speak with the instructors.

Daniel Parrott wrote:
Intro. to Welding Tech
Gas Metal Arc Welding, 1, 2, 3 and 4 levels
Shielded Metal Arc Welding

Hey, missed that, really. Sorry.


BTW, nice pun on my name.........

Dan Parrott

-- Douglas Frank DigitalWhoopsCompaqImeanHP Co. ZKO 110 Spit Brook Rd. These are my principles; 603-884-0501 Nashua, NH USA 03062 if you object... I have others.

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