| This is the process of joining two or more | | | | which welders could work. All of these |
| separate components into a finished product. | | | | methods are just to name a few. |
| These components can be made of any variety | | | | |
| of metal including steel, copper, plated | | | | Resistance welding is a method that uses the |
| materials, aluminum, or whatever metal best | | | | material's resistance to the electrical |
| suits the project at hand. | | | | current to create the heat needed to bond the |
| | | | materials. Spot welding and seam welding are |
| There are numerous methods for assembling | | | | both forms of resistance welding as well as |
| sheet metal, and what method is preferred | | | | flash welding, projection welding, and upset |
| depends on the materials being assembled, the | | | | welding. |
| function of the finished product, the | | | | |
| environment the product is being installed | | | | Oxy-fuel welding, or oxyacetylene welding |
| into, and the desired durability of the | | | | uses a gas to generate the heat to bond the |
| finished, assembled product. | | | | materials together. Most commonly |
| | | | oxyacetylene is used, but other gases can be |
| Welding is a very common technique used to | | | | used depending on the material being welded. |
| assemble sheet metal. Multiple kinds of | | | | Whatever other gas is used, it is always |
| welding have been developed as the metals | | | | passed through a steam of oxygen in order to |
| industry has grown and evolved, and the | | | | create the combustion process that creates |
| selection of welding technique relies heavily | | | | the weld. Laser beam welding uses laser beams |
| on the kind and size of the materials being | | | | as a concentrated heat source to join the two |
| used. Arc welding, oxy-fuel welding, | | | | metals, and electron beam welding uses an |
| resistance welding, laser beam welding, and | | | | electron beam as the heat source. |
| electron welding are the primary types of | | | | |
| welding being used today. Arc welding uses an | | | | Besides welding there are numerous other |
| electrical current to create a bond between | | | | techniques to joining sheet metal. |
| materials. | | | | |
| | | | Riveting, bolting, screwing, and clipping are |
| Different categories fall within arc welding | | | | all potential assembly routes, and the |
| and include submerged arc welding, which is | | | | efficacy of each technique will depend on the |
| commonly used in shipbuilding; gas metal arc | | | | finished product itself. There are even some |
| welding, which is used for non-ferrous | | | | sheet metal components that are designed to |
| materials; shielded metal arc welding, which | | | | fit together in a slot-A/tab-B configuration |
| uses a consumable electrode; flux-cored | | | | without the help of any major assembly |
| welding, which revolutionized the speed at | | | | process. |