1.智能化与数字化，物联网（IoT）与远程控制：

  通过传感器实时监测焊接参数（电流、电压、温度等），结合云数据分析以优化工艺，支持远程监控和故障预警。

2.人工智能与自适应控制：

  人工智能算法可以根据焊接材料和环境自动调整参数，减少人工干预和提升焊接的一致性和质量。

3.数字孪生技术：

  在虚拟环境中模拟焊接过程，预测缺陷并优化工艺参数，以降低试错成本。

4.绿色环保与节能技术，低能耗设计：

  采用高频逆变器电源和高效功率器件（如硅镓、氮化镓）以减少能量损失并提升能效比例。

5.环保气体替代：

  开发低飞溅、低烟雾的焊接工艺，推广环保气体（如新型混合气体），并减少碳排放排放。

6.材料回收：

  开发针对回收金属或复合材料的专用焊接技术，以支持循环经济。

7.多功能与材料适应性，多进程兼容性：

  一台设备支持多种焊接模式，如MAG/MIG/TIG/等离子体，适应不同材料和场景需求。

8.高科技材料焊接：

  开发针对铝锂合金、钛合金、高强度钢等新兴材料的专用焊接设备和工艺，复合材料。

9.极端环境应用：

  开发能够耐高温、辐射、水下或真空环境（如空间焊接技术）的特殊焊接设备。

10.自动化与机器人集成，协作机器人（Cobot）：

  轻量化焊接机器人结合人机协作，提升了灵活性和安全性，适合小批量和多品种制作。

11.全自动化生产线：

  与工业机器人和自动导引车（AGV）集成，实现无人焊接、搬运和检验流程。

12.三维视觉与路径规划：

  通过激光扫描和人工智能视觉识别焊缝位置，焊接路径自动生成，缩短编程时间。

13.市场需求驱动新能源车：

  电池外壳、电机和轻型车身焊接需求的不断增长，推动了高精度、低变形焊接技术的发展。

14.可再生能源：

  对大型结构如风力发电机塔、光伏支架和氢能储罐的焊接需求正在增长。

15.航空航天与军事工业：

  对高强度材料和精密焊接的需求推动了高端焊接设备的市场发展。

16.建筑与基础设施：

  模块化建筑和钢结构桥梁的普及推动了便携式高效焊接机的需求。

17.产业链合作：

  焊接机制造商与材料、传感器和机器人公司紧密合作，打造智能焊接生态系统。

18.焊接机行业将呈现“高端、智能化、绿色化”三大趋势：

  短期（3-5年）：智能焊接机的渗透率提升，混合气焊技术也变得流行。

  中期（5-10年）：焊接机器人成为行业标准，AI自适应焊接被广泛应用。

  长期（超过10年）：在空间焊接和生物相容性材料焊接等前沿领域取得突破。

总结

电焊机的未来发展前景广阔，技术创新和市场需求将推动其走向更智能化，更环保，更高效的方向。企业需要抓住工业4.0和碳中和的机遇，突破核心技术瓶颈，关注国际标准和人才培养，以在全球竞争中取得优势。

Internet access for welding is entirely feasible and has been applied in practice.

1. Application of Internet Access in Welding: Real-time data transmission. Through IoT network cards, intelligent welding robots can transmit data in real-time (such as current, voltage, welding speed, etc.) to the cloud or designated data centers during the welding process. This data helps managers remotely monitor the working status of robots and ensure welding quality.

2. Remote Monitoring and Control: With the help of IoT network cards, operators can remotely control welding robots through terminals such as mobile phones and computers, achieving flexible task scheduling and management. This not only improves work efficiency but also reduces the risks of on-site operations.

3. Fault Diagnosis and Early Warning: IoT network cards support remote fault diagnosis and early warning functions. When a welding robot experiences a fault or anomaly, the system can respond quickly and send fault information to the manager's terminal via the IoT network card, enabling timely maintenance measures.

4. Intelligent Scheduling and Optimization: Through IoT network cards, multiple welding robots can achieve collaborative work, automatically adjusting the work rhythm and task allocation based on the actual needs of the production line, thereby maximizing production efficiency.

5. Improvement of Production Efficiency through Internet Access: IoT network cards enable welding robots to transmit data in real-time and receive remote commands, thus achieving more efficient production scheduling and task execution.

6. Reduced Operational and Maintenance Costs: Traditionally, the maintenance and upkeep of welding robots require on-site manual operations, which are both time-consuming and labor-intensive. With IoT network cards, managers can remotely diagnose faults, upgrade software, and adjust robot configurations, significantly reducing operational and maintenance costs.

7. Enhanced Safety: IoT network cards support remote monitoring and control functions, allowing operators to operate and monitor welding robots from a safe distance, thereby reducing the risks of on-site operations.

Concept and Classification of Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

  Arc welding using a consumable electrode, with externally supplied gas as the arc medium to protect the molten metal droplets, weld pool, and high-temperature metal in the weld zone, is called Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW). Depending on the filler wire material and shielding gas, it can be classified into the following methods:

1. Classification by filler wire can be divided into solid wire welding and flux-cored wire welding.

  Arc welding using solid wire with inert gas (Ar or He) as shielding gas is called Metal Inert Gas Arc Welding, abbreviated as MIG welding.

  Arc welding using solid wire with argon-rich mixed gas as shielding gas is abbreviated as MAG welding (Metal Active Gas Arc Welding).

  CO2 gas shielded arc welding using solid wire is abbreviated as CO2 welding.

  When using flux-cored wire, arc welding with CO2 or a CO2+Ar mixed gas as the shielding gas is called flux-cored wire gas shielded arc welding. It can also be performed without shielding gas, a method known as self-shielded arc welding.

2. Differences between ordinary MIG/MAG welding and CO2 welding.

  CO2 welding is characterized by low cost and high production efficiency, but it suffers from large spatter and poor weld bead appearance. Therefore, some welding processes adopt ordinary MIG/MAG welding.

  Ordinary MIG/MAG welding is an arc welding method shielded by inert gas or argon-rich gas, while CO2 welding is strongly oxidizing, which determines the differences and characteristics between the two.

3. Main advantages of MIG/MAG welding compared to CO2 welding.

  Spatter is reduced by more than 50%. The welding arc is stable under argon or argon-rich gas shielding. Not only is the arc stable during globular and spray transfer, but in short-circuit transfer with low-current MAG welding, the arc's repulsive force on the molten droplet is smaller, thus ensuring that the spatter in MIG/MAG welding short-circuit transfer is reduced by more than 50%.

  Uniform and aesthetically pleasing weld bead formation. Due to the uniform, fine, and stable droplet transfer in MIG/MAG welding, the weld bead formation is uniform and aesthetically pleasing.

  Capable of welding many active metals and their alloys. The arc atmosphere has very weak or no oxidizing properties. MIG/MAG welding can weld not only carbon steel and high-alloy steel but also many active metals and their alloys, such as aluminum and aluminum alloys, stainless steel and its alloys, magnesium and magnesium alloys, etc., greatly improving weldability, welding quality, and production efficiency.

4. Differences between pulsed MIG/MAG welding and ordinary MIG/MAG welding.

  The main droplet transfer modes in ordinary MIG/MAG welding are spray transfer at high currents and short-circuit transfer at low currents. Therefore, low-current welding still suffers from large spatter and poor weld bead appearance, especially for some active metals that cannot be welded at low currents, such as aluminum and its alloys, stainless steel, etc. This led to the development of pulsed MIG/MAG welding, whose droplet transfer characteristic is one droplet transfer per current pulse. In essence, it is globular transfer.

  The optimal droplet transfer mode in pulsed MIG/MAG welding is one pulse per droplet. By adjusting the pulse frequency, the number of droplets transferred per unit of time, i.e., the wire melting rate, can be changed. Due to the one-pulse-one-droplet globular transfer, the droplet diameter is approximately equal to the wire diameter, resulting in lower arc heat for the droplet, meaning a lower droplet temperature (compared to spray transfer and large droplet transfer). This increases the melting coefficient of the wire, i.e., improves the melting efficiency of the wire. Due to the low droplet temperature, there is less welding fume, which on one hand reduces the loss of alloying elements and on the other hand improves the working environment. Welding spatter is small, or even absent. The arc has good directionality, suitable for all-position welding. The weld bead formation is good, with a larger width and reduced reinforcement, and a small toe height. Active metals (such as aluminum and its alloys) can be perfectly welded at low currents. The operating current range for spray transfer in MIG/MAG welding is expanded; during pulsed welding, stable droplet transfer can be achieved within a wide current range, from near the critical current for spray transfer to larger currents of tens of amperes.

5. From the above, the characteristics and advantages of pulsed MIG/MAG welding can be understood. However, nothing is perfect. Compared to ordinary MIG/MAG welding, its disadvantages are as follows:

  Welding production efficiency is subjectively perceived as slightly lower.

  Higher requirements for welder skill.

  Welding equipment prices are currently higher.

6. The selection of pulsed MIG/MAG welding is mainly determined by the welding process requirements. The following welding applications must use pulsed MIG/MAG welding.

  Carbon steel applications where high weld quality and appearance are required, mainly in the pressure vessel industry, such as boilers, chemical heat exchangers, central air conditioning heat exchangers, and volutes of turbines in the hydropower industry.

  Stainless steel applications using low currents (below 200A) and requiring high weld quality and appearance, such as in locomotives and pressure vessels in the chemical industry.

  Aluminum and its alloy applications using low currents (below 200A) and requiring high weld quality and appearance, such as in high-speed trains, high-voltage switches, and air separation industries.

  Copper and its alloy applications. Copper and its alloys are basically all welded using pulsed MIG/MAG welding (within the scope of gas metal arc welding).

MIG welding (Metal Inert Gas welding) is a method of metal joining that utilizes a continuously fed welding wire as an electrode. Under the protection of an inert gas (such as argon or helium), an arc generated between the welding gun nozzle and the workpiece melts the welding wire and the base metal, thereby achieving metal connection. During the MIG welding process, the shielding gas prevents oxygen and nitrogen from the air from entering the welding zone, ensuring welding quality.

1. Basic Principles of MIG Welding

  The basic principle of MIG welding is to melt the welding wire and the base metal through the arc generated between the welding gun nozzle and the workpiece. The shielding gas (usually an inert gas) covers the welding area, preventing oxidation and nitridation, and ensuring the quality of the weld. The welding wire is continuously fed through a wire feeding mechanism, and it melts together with the base metal to form a weld.

2. Characteristics of MIG Welding

‌  Stable Welding Process: The arc in MIG welding is stable, with less spatter during the welding process, resulting in aesthetically pleasing weld beads.

‌  High Production Efficiency: The use of continuously fed welding wire allows for fast welding speeds and high production efficiency.

‌  Strong Adaptability: It can weld metals of different thicknesses and materials, with high joint strength and reliable quality.

‌  Simple Operation: The equipment is relatively simple and easy to master.

‌  Good Welding Quality: The shielding gas reduces oxidation and nitridation during the welding process, ensuring the chemical composition and mechanical properties of the weld.

‌  Small Welding Deformation: Lower heat input results in less workpiece deformation.

‌  High Material Utilization Rate: The continuous feeding of welding wire leads to high utilization and less material waste.

3. Application Scenarios of MIG Welding

  MIG welding is widely used in the joining of various metal materials, especially in fields such as automotive manufacturing, shipbuilding, and construction structures. Due to its efficient and stable characteristics, MIG welding plays an important role in these areas.

MAG welding machine (Metal Active Gas Welding) is a common arc welding technology, widely used in industrial manufacturing, automotive repair, construction, and other fields.

1. Basic principles of MAG welding

  Definition: MAG welding uses active gases (such as CO₂ or mixed gases) as a protective medium, melting the welding wire and base metal through an electric arc to achieve metal connection.

  Difference from MIG: MIG (Metal Inert Gas Welding) uses inert gases (such as argon, helium), while MAG uses active gases (such as CO₂ or Ar+CO₂ mixed gases). Active gases participate in metallurgical reactions in the molten pool, making it suitable for welding carbon steel, low-alloy steel, etc.

2. Components of a MAG welding machine

  Power source: Provides stable DC or pulsed current.

  Wire feeder: Automatically feeds welding wire (solid or flux-cored wire).

  Welding gun: Conducts current, delivers shielding gas and welding wire.

  Gas cylinder and regulator: Provides and controls the flow rate of shielding gas.

  Control system: Adjusts welding parameters (current, voltage, wire feed speed, etc.).

3. Working process

  Arc generation: The welding wire touches the workpiece to initiate the arc, forming a high-temperature molten pool.

  Gas shielding: Active gas is sprayed from the welding gun nozzle to isolate air and prevent oxidation.

  Droplet transfer: After melting, the welding wire transfers into the molten pool in forms such as short-circuit transfer and spray transfer.

4. Characteristics of MAG welding

  Advantages:

  High efficiency: Continuous wire feeding, suitable for automated production.

  Strong adaptability: Wide range of weldable materials (carbon steel, stainless steel, alloy steel, etc.).

  Good welding quality: Deep penetration, controllable spatter (especially with mixed gases).

  Low cost: Active gases (like CO₂) are cheaper than inert gases.

  Disadvantages:

  Sensitive to wind: Requires operation in a windless environment.

  More spatter (when using CO₂ alone).

5. Application fields

  Manufacturing: Welding of automobile bodies, mechanical structural components.

  Construction: Welding of steel structures, bridges, pipelines.

  Shipbuilding and heavy industry: Welding of thick plates.

  Repair: Equipment and vehicle repair.

6. Shielding gas selection

  Pure CO₂ gas: Low cost, suitable for carbon steel, but with significant spatter.

  Mixed gases (e.g., Ar+CO₂ 80/20 or Ar+O₂): Reduces spatter and improves weld bead formation.

  Suitable for high-quality welding requirements (e.g., stainless steel, thin plates).

7. Operational precautions

  Protective measures: Wear a welding helmet and gloves to prevent arc radiation and spatter.

  Gas check: Ensure sufficient gas cylinder pressure and that the gas purity meets standards.

  Parameter adjustment: Adjust current and voltage according to material thickness and wire diameter.

  Clean workpiece: Remove oil and rust before welding to avoid porosity.

  Maintenance: Regularly clean the welding gun nozzle and check the wire feed tube.

8. Common problems and solutions

  Porosity: Check gas flow rate, purity, or workpiece cleanliness.

  Excessive spatter: Adjust voltage/current matching, switch to mixed gas.

  Unstable arc: Check for smooth wire feeding or good grounding.

  Wire sticking: Optimize wire feed speed or contact tip condition.

9. Selection recommendations

  Material type: Carbon steel choose CO₂ or Ar+CO₂, stainless steel choose Ar+O₂ mixed gas.

  Welding thickness: Thin plates (0.6-3mm) use short-circuit transfer, thick plates use spray transfer.

  Scene requirements: High-precision models for automated production, portable ones for on-site repair.

Summary

  MAG welding machines, with their efficient and flexible characteristics, have become one of the mainstream technologies in modern welding. Mastering their principles, gas selection, and operating techniques can significantly improve welding quality and efficiency. In practical applications, it is necessary to combine material properties and process requirements to reasonably adjust parameters and equipment configuration.

The usage of a welding machine mainly includes the following steps:

1. Connect to power: Connect the welding machine to the power source, turn on the switch, and lift the cover.

2. Prepare welding material: Load the flux-cored wire, straighten it, feed it into the wire feeding tube, then into the wire feeder. Adjust the wire to extend 2-3 cm, aim the welding gun at the wire, and slightly adjust the angle.

3. Adjust parameters: Connect the welding gun switch and ground wire, select the appropriate welding mode, and adjust the current. Lower the current when welding thin plates, and increase it for thick plates.

4. Start welding: Press and hold the red switch on the welding gun. The machine will start feeding wire. Adjust the wire to extend 0.5-1 cm. Use the wire clamp to fix the welding material and perform spot welding or drag welding.

5. The main technical parameters of a welding machine include:

  Rated input voltage: The rated input voltage of the welding machine should comply with the equipment specifications, usually 220-380 volts.

  Rated output current: The output current range of the welding machine varies depending on the model, typically from tens of amperes to hundreds of amperes.

  Welding voltage: The welding voltage of the welding machine is usually between 20-40 volts, with the specific value depending on the welding type and material used.

  Power: The power of the welding machine is usually between several kilowatts and tens of kilowatts. The higher the power, the stronger the welding capability.

6. Insulation class: The insulation class of the welding machine determines its safety and durability, usually Class B or Class F insulation.

7. Cooling method: Welding machines have two cooling methods: air cooling and water cooling. Air cooling is suitable for small welding machines, while water cooling is suitable for large welding machines.

8. Safety operating procedures:

  Protective measures: Welding machines should be placed in dry, insulated, and sun-protected locations. For outdoor operations, a shed should be provided for rain, moisture, and sun protection.

  Fire and explosion prevention: Flammable and explosive materials should not be stored within 10 meters of the welding operation site, and fire-fighting facilities should be equipped.

  Grounding: Ensure the grounding wire of the welding machine is safe and should not be connected to flammable, explosive, or heat-generating items.

  Wear protective equipment: Operators must wear labor protective equipment as required to avoid accidents such as electric shock and falls from height.

1.智能化与数字化，物联网（IoT）与远程控制：

  通过传感器实时监测焊接参数（电流、电压、温度等），结合云数据分析以优化工艺，支持远程监控和故障预警。

2.人工智能与自适应控制：

  人工智能算法可以根据焊接材料和环境自动调整参数，减少人工干预和提升焊接的一致性和质量。

3.数字孪生技术：

  在虚拟环境中模拟焊接过程，预测缺陷并优化工艺参数，以降低试错成本。

4.绿色环保与节能技术，低能耗设计：

  采用高频逆变器电源和高效功率器件（如硅镓、氮化镓）以减少能量损失并提升能效比例。

5.环保气体替代：

  开发低飞溅、低烟雾的焊接工艺，推广环保气体（如新型混合气体），并减少碳排放排放。

6.材料回收：

  开发针对回收金属或复合材料的专用焊接技术，以支持循环经济。

7.多功能与材料适应性，多进程兼容性：

  一台设备支持多种焊接模式，如MAG/MIG/TIG/等离子体，适应不同材料和场景需求。

8.高科技材料焊接：

  开发针对铝锂合金、钛合金、高强度钢等新兴材料的专用焊接设备和工艺，复合材料。

9.极端环境应用：

  开发能够耐高温、辐射、水下或真空环境（如空间焊接技术）的特殊焊接设备。

10.自动化与机器人集成，协作机器人（Cobot）：

  轻量化焊接机器人结合人机协作，提升了灵活性和安全性，适合小批量和多品种制作。

11.全自动化生产线：

  与工业机器人和自动导引车（AGV）集成，实现无人焊接、搬运和检验流程。

12.三维视觉与路径规划：

  通过激光扫描和人工智能视觉识别焊缝位置，焊接路径自动生成，缩短编程时间。

13.市场需求驱动新能源车：

  电池外壳、电机和轻型车身焊接需求的不断增长，推动了高精度、低变形焊接技术的发展。

14.可再生能源：

  对大型结构如风力发电机塔、光伏支架和氢能储罐的焊接需求正在增长。

15.航空航天与军事工业：

  对高强度材料和精密焊接的需求推动了高端焊接设备的市场发展。

16.建筑与基础设施：

  模块化建筑和钢结构桥梁的普及推动了便携式高效焊接机的需求。

17.产业链合作：

  焊接机制造商与材料、传感器和机器人公司紧密合作，打造智能焊接生态系统。

18.焊接机行业将呈现“高端、智能化、绿色化”三大趋势：

  短期（3-5年）：智能焊接机的渗透率提升，混合气焊技术也变得流行。

  中期（5-10年）：焊接机器人成为行业标准，AI自适应焊接被广泛应用。

  长期（超过10年）：在空间焊接和生物相容性材料焊接等前沿领域取得突破。

总结

电焊机的未来发展前景广阔，技术创新和市场需求将推动其走向更智能化，更环保，更高效的方向。企业需要抓住工业4.0和碳中和的机遇，突破核心技术瓶颈，关注国际标准和人才培养，以在全球竞争中取得优势。

Internet access for welding is entirely feasible and has been applied in practice.

1. Application of Internet Access in Welding: Real-time data transmission. Through IoT network cards, intelligent welding robots can transmit data in real-time (such as current, voltage, welding speed, etc.) to the cloud or designated data centers during the welding process. This data helps managers remotely monitor the working status of robots and ensure welding quality.

2. Remote Monitoring and Control: With the help of IoT network cards, operators can remotely control welding robots through terminals such as mobile phones and computers, achieving flexible task scheduling and management. This not only improves work efficiency but also reduces the risks of on-site operations.

3. Fault Diagnosis and Early Warning: IoT network cards support remote fault diagnosis and early warning functions. When a welding robot experiences a fault or anomaly, the system can respond quickly and send fault information to the manager's terminal via the IoT network card, enabling timely maintenance measures.

4. Intelligent Scheduling and Optimization: Through IoT network cards, multiple welding robots can achieve collaborative work, automatically adjusting the work rhythm and task allocation based on the actual needs of the production line, thereby maximizing production efficiency.

5. Improvement of Production Efficiency through Internet Access: IoT network cards enable welding robots to transmit data in real-time and receive remote commands, thus achieving more efficient production scheduling and task execution.

6. Reduced Operational and Maintenance Costs: Traditionally, the maintenance and upkeep of welding robots require on-site manual operations, which are both time-consuming and labor-intensive. With IoT network cards, managers can remotely diagnose faults, upgrade software, and adjust robot configurations, significantly reducing operational and maintenance costs.

7. Enhanced Safety: IoT network cards support remote monitoring and control functions, allowing operators to operate and monitor welding robots from a safe distance, thereby reducing the risks of on-site operations.

Concept and Classification of Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

  Arc welding using a consumable electrode, with externally supplied gas as the arc medium to protect the molten metal droplets, weld pool, and high-temperature metal in the weld zone, is called Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW). Depending on the filler wire material and shielding gas, it can be classified into the following methods:

1. Classification by filler wire can be divided into solid wire welding and flux-cored wire welding.

  Arc welding using solid wire with inert gas (Ar or He) as shielding gas is called Metal Inert Gas Arc Welding, abbreviated as MIG welding.

  Arc welding using solid wire with argon-rich mixed gas as shielding gas is abbreviated as MAG welding (Metal Active Gas Arc Welding).

  CO2 gas shielded arc welding using solid wire is abbreviated as CO2 welding.

  When using flux-cored wire, arc welding with CO2 or a CO2+Ar mixed gas as the shielding gas is called flux-cored wire gas shielded arc welding. It can also be performed without shielding gas, a method known as self-shielded arc welding.

2. Differences between ordinary MIG/MAG welding and CO2 welding.

  CO2 welding is characterized by low cost and high production efficiency, but it suffers from large spatter and poor weld bead appearance. Therefore, some welding processes adopt ordinary MIG/MAG welding.

  Ordinary MIG/MAG welding is an arc welding method shielded by inert gas or argon-rich gas, while CO2 welding is strongly oxidizing, which determines the differences and characteristics between the two.

3. Main advantages of MIG/MAG welding compared to CO2 welding.

  Spatter is reduced by more than 50%. The welding arc is stable under argon or argon-rich gas shielding. Not only is the arc stable during globular and spray transfer, but in short-circuit transfer with low-current MAG welding, the arc's repulsive force on the molten droplet is smaller, thus ensuring that the spatter in MIG/MAG welding short-circuit transfer is reduced by more than 50%.

  Uniform and aesthetically pleasing weld bead formation. Due to the uniform, fine, and stable droplet transfer in MIG/MAG welding, the weld bead formation is uniform and aesthetically pleasing.

  Capable of welding many active metals and their alloys. The arc atmosphere has very weak or no oxidizing properties. MIG/MAG welding can weld not only carbon steel and high-alloy steel but also many active metals and their alloys, such as aluminum and aluminum alloys, stainless steel and its alloys, magnesium and magnesium alloys, etc., greatly improving weldability, welding quality, and production efficiency.

4. Differences between pulsed MIG/MAG welding and ordinary MIG/MAG welding.

  The main droplet transfer modes in ordinary MIG/MAG welding are spray transfer at high currents and short-circuit transfer at low currents. Therefore, low-current welding still suffers from large spatter and poor weld bead appearance, especially for some active metals that cannot be welded at low currents, such as aluminum and its alloys, stainless steel, etc. This led to the development of pulsed MIG/MAG welding, whose droplet transfer characteristic is one droplet transfer per current pulse. In essence, it is globular transfer.

  The optimal droplet transfer mode in pulsed MIG/MAG welding is one pulse per droplet. By adjusting the pulse frequency, the number of droplets transferred per unit of time, i.e., the wire melting rate, can be changed. Due to the one-pulse-one-droplet globular transfer, the droplet diameter is approximately equal to the wire diameter, resulting in lower arc heat for the droplet, meaning a lower droplet temperature (compared to spray transfer and large droplet transfer). This increases the melting coefficient of the wire, i.e., improves the melting efficiency of the wire. Due to the low droplet temperature, there is less welding fume, which on one hand reduces the loss of alloying elements and on the other hand improves the working environment. Welding spatter is small, or even absent. The arc has good directionality, suitable for all-position welding. The weld bead formation is good, with a larger width and reduced reinforcement, and a small toe height. Active metals (such as aluminum and its alloys) can be perfectly welded at low currents. The operating current range for spray transfer in MIG/MAG welding is expanded; during pulsed welding, stable droplet transfer can be achieved within a wide current range, from near the critical current for spray transfer to larger currents of tens of amperes.

5. From the above, the characteristics and advantages of pulsed MIG/MAG welding can be understood. However, nothing is perfect. Compared to ordinary MIG/MAG welding, its disadvantages are as follows:

  Welding production efficiency is subjectively perceived as slightly lower.

  Higher requirements for welder skill.

  Welding equipment prices are currently higher.

6. The selection of pulsed MIG/MAG welding is mainly determined by the welding process requirements. The following welding applications must use pulsed MIG/MAG welding.

  Carbon steel applications where high weld quality and appearance are required, mainly in the pressure vessel industry, such as boilers, chemical heat exchangers, central air conditioning heat exchangers, and volutes of turbines in the hydropower industry.

  Stainless steel applications using low currents (below 200A) and requiring high weld quality and appearance, such as in locomotives and pressure vessels in the chemical industry.

  Aluminum and its alloy applications using low currents (below 200A) and requiring high weld quality and appearance, such as in high-speed trains, high-voltage switches, and air separation industries.

  Copper and its alloy applications. Copper and its alloys are basically all welded using pulsed MIG/MAG welding (within the scope of gas metal arc welding).