What

- It is a process developed in the 1940s, and is considered

semi-automated. This means that the welder still requires
skill, but that the MIG welding machine will continuously keep
filling the joint being welded.
-Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), sometimes referred to by its subtypes metal inert
gas (MIG) welding or metal active gas (MAG) welding, is a welding process in which an
electric arc forms between a consumable wire electrode and the workpiece metal(s), which heats
the workpiece metal(s), causing them to melt and join.

-How MIG Welding Works

MIG weld welding requires three things, electricity to produce heat, an

electrode to fill the joint, and shielding gas to protect the weld from the air.
MIG welding is done using a very small electrode that is fed continuously,
while the operator controls the amount of weld being done. In some cases
when a robot takes over this process, it becomes automatic welding.
- Electrodes
Typical MIG welding electrodes are a solid wire ranging from a thickness of .
023 to .045. Some are much thicker for heavy industrial applications. The
most common sizes are:

.023
.030
.035
.045
 MIG welding requires a shielding gas to be used. As the name states Metal
Inert Gas Welding there is no shielding on the electrode or filler wire. MIG
welding would not be possible without shielding gas. The way the shielding
gas works is it is feed through the MIG gun and it literally suffocates the
weld area from any air. This provides a air free zone where the welding arc
and filler wire can do their work to get the joint welded.

MIG welding typically three types of gas for shielding and they are:

Argon
Carbon Dioxide
Helium

Here are some advantages to MIG welding:

The ability to join a wide range of metals and thicknesses

All-position welding capability

A good weld bead

A minimum of weld splatter

Easy to learn

Here are some disadvantages of MIG welding:

MIG welding can only be used on thin to medium thick metals

The use of an inert gas makes this type of welding less portable than
arc welding which requires no external source of shielding gas

Produces a somewhat sloppier and less controlled weld as compared to

TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas Welding)
 MIG welding has four ways of transferring the wire to the joint.

Short circuit
Globular
Spray
Pulsed spray

The transfer types used to MIG weld are determined by the metal type,
shielding gas used and machine settings. MIG welding transfer types are
more of a machine set-up issue then a welding issue.