A pressure vessel is a container used to store gases and liquids at high volumes. The liquid and gas built in these containers are stored at average temperatures and can boil quickly. Therefore, many that come in as new welders need to know the types of welding techniques used in pressure vessels when working around these containers. Here’s our list of the different types of welding techniques used in pressure vessels.
Shielded Metal Arc Welding
The shielded metal arc welding technique uses an electrode coated with a flux-consumable. In addition, this method is viewed as the standard practice for welders since it’s inexpensive and portable. Nevertheless, it does have a high skill requirement resulting in a high-quality weld, preventing new welders from using this procedure.
Flux-Core Arc Welding
Like the shielded metal arc welding process, the formation from the weld doesn’t require a ton of skill to learn or use. Moreover, since the rod’s wire-fed, the flux is located in the center of the electrode. Hence, this welding arc type is easier to use.
Gas Metal Arc Welding
The gas metal arc welding has both a wire-fed electrode and shielding gas. Like flux-core arc welding, gas metal arc welding’s simple to learn and use. However, it places the other two welding procedures at a disadvantage since it leaves a cleaner finish. Although the finish is clean, gas metal arc welding suffers tremendously from fusion errors, which don’t happen in the above processes.
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
The tungsten arc welding method uses a tungsten electrode and inert shielding gas. However, this process is challenging to master, despite producing clean welds, fusion, and penetration. In spite of the process producing these things, it’s also a slower process, which results in not filling volumes in all the way.
Submerged Arc Welding
The submerged arc welding procedure is delicate, as it needs to be submerged in flux to stop oxygen and other atmospheric gases from attaching to the arc. Although this process isn’t portable, it does come with a high deposition rate and produces clean welds and fusion.
These welding forms are some of the most important when working with pressure vessels. Our list of the different welding techniques helps you know what processes to expect when working with electrodes and arcs on pressure vessels.
