A Quick Guide To Welding

There are many ways that humans build things. From sticking stones together with mud, to hammering nails to join wooden boards, to welding together two metals, humans have developed their method of shaping the world around them over time, and now what do we have to show for it? Skyscrapers, ocean liners, construction cranes, and much more. If you are in need of some welding supply in NYC, you can probably benefit from some more information on welding itself.

Welding is a method in construction that involves connecting two materials together. The materials are usually metals, but welding is sometimes used for other materials as well, such as thermoplastics. Rather than tie the two or more pieces together, or bind them to one another with some sort of glue, the materials are actually meant to coalesce; that is to say, join together as one mass. But to do this with metals involves making them melt, and that, in turn, requires intense heat in most cases. Once the metal pieces are melted into a weld pool, either by using a laser, a flame, or an electric arc (among other things), a filler material is added, and then the mixture is allowed to cool into a strong joint which is one mass. This process differs from soldering, in which the workpieces are not melted. Only the filler material is melted, and this forms the bond between the two workpieces. This method often produces a less powerful joint than with actual welding.

Welding supply in NYC companies can have a wide knowledge of welding technique, procedure, and history. Early welding was known as forge welding, which consisted of heating two metals in a forge and then hammering them together once they are hot enough to not be completely solid. Nowadays, welding technology lets welders make a much stronger bond between the two workpieces, and the process of heating the metals to the appropriate temperature is usually a lot shorter as well. The presence of these high temperatures makes welding a potentially dangerous process, and modern welders usually take care to protect themselves from heat with fire-retardant jackets, heavy gloves, etc. Also, the bright light emitted by the heat source in the welding process can easily burn the human retina, and so protective goggles or masks with UV-filtering material are used to protect the eyes. Welding supply in NYC companies can probably hook you up with any safety equipment you may need.