Choosing the Right Welding Machine: What to Consider

14 May 2020
 Categories: Industrial & Manufacturing, Blog

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Welding machines come in different shapes and sizes, bringing with them different capabilities. Buying one is a considerable investment, which is the more reason why you should carefully consider your options before buying your welding machine.

As you consider your options, here are some crucial factors that you should keep in mind to help inform your decision.

1. MIG, TIG, or Spot Welding?

The type of welding process you use will greatly influence the machine you should choose. On the other hand, the type of material, as well as the site conditions, will inform the best welding process.

There is a wide range of welding machines suited for the different welding processes. A MIG welder is best for MIG welding, a TIG welder for TIG welding, and so forth.

2. Type and Thickness of Material

You can weld a wide range of materials, from steel to aluminium and brass. The thickness of the material will determine how much power is required to achieve the desired weld.

For the same thickness, the power requirement will vary from one material to the next. You must, therefore, ensure that your welding machine can deliver the power output to match what your workpiece requires.

3. Ease Of Use

Some welding machines are best left to the experts because they require a higher level of expertise to set up and operate safely. There is also a wide range of machines suited for beginners that are basically plug-and-play and very easy to use — the perfect fit for beginners.

Your choice of welding machine should suit your skill level. After learning more welding techniques, you should be ready to upgrade to other higher-level machines.

4. Machine Duty Cycle

A welding machine's duty cycle is how long it can run before you have to stop using it in order to allow it time to cool down. Some have a short duty cycle, and at the other extreme end of the spectrum are welding machines that have a 100% duty cycle and can work continuously.

If you are working with thicker metals that need more time to achieve quality machining, then your best option is a machine with a longer duty cycle. It also helps where you have a significant quota to meet.

Get it right by selecting the right welding machine, and you can expect to get real value for your money for any welding services you need to do. It comes down to the specifics of your welding projects and your skill level.