Welding and other metalworking

The great advantage of acetylene is its reducing effect, which is easy to adjust and control. Acetylene welding is characterized by good gap bridging ability. Little or no preparation of the joint is needed.

For example, in pipeline construction where other welding methods are usually not an option or are not economical, the oxygen-acetylene flame is the welder's reliable and true friend. The combustion of acetylene with oxygen produces a sharply pointed flame cone.

We have developed the RAPID PROCESSING® concept for high productivity MAG welding, which creates better productivity due to higher welding speed and/or higher deposition rate. It also reduces spatter and the amount of welding surface slag, improves lateral penetration and levels welding reinforcements.

The technology is particularly suitable for welding unalloyed and low-alloyed steel over 1 mm thickness, and it can also be used for stainless steel. Non-standard welding parameters are used in combination with argon-rich MISON® shielding gas for best results, which increases productivity and improves the working environment.

Plasma arc technology is similar to TIG welding, where an arc burns between the tungsten electrode and the workpiece. The main difference is that in plasma welding, the arc is forced through a water-cooled nozzle in the form of a restrictor. The greatest benefit of plasma welding is seen in 2-8 mm sheets using "keyhole" technology, where a strong plasma arc melts a hole through the sheet. As the torch moves forward, the material also melts in front of the hole. The pressure of the arc forces this material to the back of the hole, where it merges due to surface tension and solidifies. This produces a homogeneous weld and achieves a complete full weld.

Depending on the gas used, shielding gas can have a significant effect on arc energy. Usually, the shielding and plasma gases are the same. Root shield gas protects the molten welding pool and the heat-affected area on the root side of the weld.

TIG welding method is most commonly used for welding thin materials (~ 0.3-3 mm). The heat source is an arc that is created between the workpiece and the tungsten electrode. The pool and electrode are shielded by inert gas which flows from the gas cup where the electrode is centrally located. The shielding gas protects the electrode, welding pool, and heated material from harmful effects and also affects the arc's characteristics (e.g. energy) and the appearance of the weld as well as productivity and the work environment.

The shielding gas mostly used is inert gas, such as argon, helium, or a mixture of these two. Sometimes, small amounts of hydrogen and/or nitrogen are added. The welder also needs protection from toxic gases and welding fumes. MISON® shielding gases protect both the welder and the weld by reducing harmful ozone emissions.

The method is very similar to MIG/MAG welding. The main difference is the melting point of the filler material, as the base material does not melt in MIG brazing. The heat input in MIG brazing is much lower than in MIG/MAG welding, making the method particularly suitable for welding zinc-coated sheets, for example, in the automotive industry.

Argon is often used. Small amounts of carbon dioxide and air can be added to improve productivity and properties.

MIG (metal inert gas) and MAG (metal active gas) welding processes are widely used in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan due to their high productivity and easy mechanization. In MIG/MAG welding, filler materials in the form of solid wire or tubular cored electrodes are continuously melted in the welding arc produced by the welding power source. The arc and molten welding pool are shielded by shielding gases that are either inert (such as argon, helium) or active (such as argon/carbon dioxide, argon/oxygen) and optimize the welding process and finished product properties.

We offer MISON® shielding gases for optimal welding applications and emphasize safety measures for welders, including good ventilation and protection from ozone emissions. We also provide safety instructions for working with extreme heat and shielding gases.

Carbon dioxide and Nd:YAG lasers are becoming increasingly common in industrial production. High-power carbon dioxide lasers (2-12 kW) are used for welding automotive components, powertrain parts, heat exchangers, and customized plates. Low-power Nd:YAG lasers (100-500 W) are used for welding small components, such as medical equipment and electronic housings. High-power Nd:YAG lasers (kW ranges) are often used for robotic fiber optic alignment and welding car body parts. The laser beam is focused on a focal point that melts and vaporizes materials.

High-power carbon dioxide lasers use water-cooled mirrors for focusing. There are two welding methods: fusion for narrow seams and high-power penetrating welding for narrow, deep penetrating seams. Welding gases protect the welding pool, optics, and control plasma formation. Our LASERLINE® gases provide optimal solutions for all processes.

Soldering is the process of adding solder capillarily between surfaces to be joined. Soldering is suitable for welding copper and copper alloys, zinc, steel-aluminum, and aluminum alloys.

Soldering is used, for example, in the manufacture of bathroom furnishings for soldering copper pipes and for attaching hard metals to saw blades and drill bits. Soldering produces high-quality joints with good surface finish. Soldering does not require as high a temperature for use as welding, which means that deformations cause fewer problems.

Flame heating refers to local heat softening of the material to be worked, e.g., bending pipes, flanging distribution boxes, peeling bottoms of vessels, or pre- and post-heating in welding and cutting.

There is a direct correlation between flow rate and flame propagation rate. The faster the flame propagation rate, the greater the flow rate that can be set. The more gas that burns, the higher the concentration of released heat.

Chiseling is used for joint preparation and removal of defective welds. It is similar to gas cutting. The oxygen gas flame heats the workpiece to its ignition temperature, and the cutting oxygen jet burns and carries away molten metal. In gas cutting, the cutting oxygen beam is directed perpendicular to the workpiece, while in gouging, the cutting oxygen beam is nearly parallel to the surface of the workpiece.

Oxygen-gas flames can also be used in flame cleaning to remove rust, mill scale, paint, grease, and dust from surfaces. Different cutting gases are used for grinding and flame cleaning. Using ODOROX® (odored oxygen) minimizes the risk of fire and explosion associated with cutting gases. The odor warns of gas leaks in advance.

In thermal spraying, the additive material, which can be in the form of powder, wire, or rods, is heated to its melting temperature or practically melted. The heated material is finely distributed and sprayed onto the surface of the piece (substrate) using a gas stream, where it adheres and solidifies. The sprayed surface can be used as is or machined to the correct dimensions.

Often, the surface of a part limits its service life because it is subject to wear, corrosion, and/or high temperatures. Flame spraying with the right additive can improve the surface's corrosion, wear, and high-temperature resistance. You can create surfaces with high or low friction or change the surface conductivity.

Welding and cutting cause stresses in the material that can lead to unwanted distortions. If these distortions cannot be accepted, the piece must be straightened. Flame straightening is often a suitable method, and it involves heating the structure or piece quickly and locally. As the material cools, it contracts, which corrects the distortion. The method is suitable for steel, nickel, copper, brass, aluminum, and titanium.

Although different cutting gases can be used for heating, acetylene is the best choice because it produces the hottest and most concentrated flame and fastest heating. Using ODOROX® (odored oxygen) minimizes the risk of fire and explosion associated with cutting gases.

Flame brushing with acetylene is always used when clean metal sheet surfaces are required for further treatments. Flame brushed surfaces ensure excellent adhesion of paints and coatings, enhancing corrosion resistance. Flame brushing methods are also used for thermal treatments of concrete and natural stone surfaces. Old paints and coatings, oil contamination, and worn rubber can also be removed environmentally friendly. Thus, the exposed concrete provides optimal adhesion for synthetic resin coatings.