6 Reasons Why Metal Fabricators Must Understand Metallurgy

Metal fabricators, or at least those in charge of welding operations, must have a sound understanding of metallurgy.  Metallurgy is the study of metals, their properties and their behaviors, especially when undergoing the welding process.  Below are 6 areas of fabrication for which an understanding of the metallurgical properties of metals is vital. Material Selection […]

5 Common Mistakes Made Welding Stainless Steel

Most types of stainless steels have good weldability and can be welded with all arc welding processes (GMAW, FCAW, GTAW, SMAW and SAW).   Stainless is used in many different applications for its strength, abrasion resistance and corrosion  resistance.  Unfortunately, many assume it can be welded just like carbon steel. In fact, this is the first […]

Danger of Using the Wrong Shielding Gas for GMAW

In our previous article we mentioned that a customer was inquiring about running their 98% argon / 2% carbon dioxide (98/2) shielding gas on mild steel.  This gas is used on stainless as it maintains the amount of reactive gas (in this case CO2) under 3%.   Our quick answer was “yes, you can weld carbon […]

Rainbow Colors in Stainless Steel Welding

Are they good or bad?

Different joints will have different levels of admixture (the mixing of weld metal with base metal) . The higher the admixture the more silicon islands will form on the surface of the weld.

We receive several calls about welding stainless and the beautiful rainbow colors, or lack thereof, on the weld and heat affected zone.  Is the tinting an indication of quality?  Are these colors acceptable? Do they show that the weld had enough heat to penetrate?  Why do they need to be cleaned?  The questions are endless. […]