It is good to start by understanding the meaning of shielded metal arc welding. Most people hear about this process but they are not sure of what it entails. It is the type of arc welding that utilizes a covered and consumable metal electrode in shielding the weld.

A flux coating covers the electrode that melts as you continue to lay the weld. It releases vapor that is used to protect your welding from atmospheric contamination. Due to the preeminence of the metallic electrode, most people use the term ‘stick welding’ to refer to SMAW.

Shielded metal arc welding can use a broad range of different types and sizes of electrodes. It depends with the specific application that you are working on among other factors. The size and type of electrode will in turn affect the arc voltage requirement that you will need. This can vary across a range of 16 to 40 volts.

The amperage requirement for the welding may similarly vary from a low 20 amps to as many as 550 amps. You can either use direct current or alternating current depending on the electrode. Generally speaking, the large electrodes are most ideal for high deposition rates and it utilizes higher currents.

Shielded metal arc welding needs a high level of skills from the welders. The welder should maintain the right angle and speed in order to strike the arc. You should also make the necessary adjustments to optimize the weld. Most people learn SMAW as the initial welding technique.

The reason is that most of the proficiencies and skills that you gain through the SMAW technique often translate well into the other welding processes. Shielded metal arc welding remains among the most trusted welding techniques in the market. That is why we heavily rely on it when serving our customers in San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, Los Angeles, and orange County.

Shielded metal arc welding comes with so many benefits to the customers. These benefits are what motivate is to use arc welding to serve our esteemed clients. It continues to be a staple for most of the industrial settings. The main strengths of metal arc welding include;

• SMAW equipment is relatively simple.
• There is no need for separating the gas shielding.
• Most portable among all the welding techniques.
• You can use SMAW in a broad range of working environments like on bridge and ships, on refineries and pipelines, in fabrication shops, and outdoors among others. Therefore, you can use it to work on a broad range of aluminum welding projects.
• Shielded metal arc welding is not sensitive to draft and wind.
• It suits a wide range of commonly used alloys and metals in the United States.
• You can power this process with diesel or gasoline in remote area that don’t have electrical connections.
• The knowledge of this welding technique and its equipment are widely on place in most of the industrial settings.

Like the other welding techniques, SMAW also has its own disadvantages. However, these weaknesses don’t surpass the benefits of this welding process. It is the best choice for some welding applications but not others. The main disadvantages of shielded metal art welding include;

• Since SMAW is not automated, it has lower rates of productivity than the automated processes.
• It requires higher operator skills than most of the other processes.
• It has lower deposition rates in comparison to the other welding techniques.
• It is not ideal for reactive metals such as zirconium, columbium, and titanium. However, it is an excellent option for our company because we specialize in aluminum welding in Ventura, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange County.
• Required extra cleanup because it can spatter.

Shielded metal arc welding has so many industrial applications. One reason for this is that the technique is highly portable and you can use it many various settings. You will spend minimal setup and time on the setup. The equipment that is used in SMAW is relatively simple in comparison to the other welding processes. Therefore, there are less chances of a breakdown or things going wrong.

For instance, FCAW’s tubular electrode can kink up and fail to feed properly hence leading to welding defects. Most welders also use the SMAW process to learn how to weld. Therefore, it is relatively easy to find qualified welders for this process. However, make sure that you are choosing a reputable brand for this process. The results that you get virtually depends on the type of professionals that you choose.

The best brand to help you with shielded metal arc welding in the region is Aluminum Welding. We offer top-notch SMAW solutions in addition to the other welding processes. All our welders are highly skilled and certified to offer aluminum welding services in the United States.

Our commitment is to provide outstanding metal fabrication services to our customers in Ventura, Los Angeles, Ventura, Riverside, and Orange County. Aluminum welding tests all the welds vigorously to make sure that they are defect-free, strong and safe. Therefore, don’t hesitate to come to us for all your needs in shielded metal arc welding.