WELDING PROCESSES
Other welding options While these four are the most common types of welding processes there are other welding processes worth being aware of. These include:
• Percussion Welding • Electron Beam and Laser Welding • Thermite Welding • Submerged Arc Welding • Plasma Arc Welding • Electroslag Welding • Resistance Welding • Stud Welding • Friction Welding • Cold Welding
Percussion welding Percussion welding is a solid-state welding process that uses a series of rapid, high-energy impacts to create a weld between two workpieces. Unlike traditional fusion welding techniques percussion welding does not melt the workpieces, resulting in minimal distortion and heat-affected zones. This makes it suitable for joining dissimilar materials and delicate components. It is best suited for applications
where minimal heat input is required to prevent damage to the materials being joined. It is ideal for joining dissimilar materials, such as aluminium to steel or copper to aluminium, where traditional fusion
welding methods may result in brittle or unreliable welds. Additionally, percussion welding is commonly used in the aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries for its ability to produce high-strength, precise welds with minimal distortion.
Electron Beam and Laser Welding Electronic Beam welding and Laser Welding are welding processes where two metals are fused using a beam of high-velocity electrons or a laser. The welds made by this process are precise and very high quality. The welding process only takes
place inside a special vacuum atmosphere. This vacuum environment ensures everything is stable for the electrons to do their job. Industries such as aerospace and automotive use this type of welding. Electron beam welding is a high-
energy welding method where a high-velocity beam of electrons creates heat through kinetic energy, welding two materials together. It is a complex type of welding usually performed in a vacuum by a machine. When the ray hits the metal, it melts just enough to fuse the adjoining piece into place. It plays a role in several
industries. For example, the beams are so accurate they can weld the tiniest implantable medical devices and so versatile they can weld large spacecraft parts.
36 / WELDING WORLD MAGAZINE - ISSUE 01 - JANUARY 2025
Laser welding uses a laser beam to
concentrate heat and fuse multiple pieces. Laser welding can produce a strong seam at high speed by delivering a focused heat source. This welding technique can be used on metals or thermoplastics, including steel, stainless steel, titanium, and aluminium. Since it’s easily automated with robotics, laser welding is prevalent in manufacturing, especially in the automotive industry. Laser welding is also used in the
medical industry and for making jewellery. As long as the material has a high heat conductivity it is a candidate for laser welding. Laser welding, although shallower
in welding depth compared to electron beam welding, has a broader application outlook due to its ability to eliminate the constraints of vacuum chambers required for electron beam welding. It does not require welding under vacuum conditions, hence its prospects are more extensive. Since the 1980s, laser welding equipment has been growing at a rate of 25% annually. Laser processing equipment
is often combined with robots to form flexible processing systems, further expanding its application scope. In the construction of power plants and in the chemical industry, there are numerous pipe-to-pipe
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