The welding process has been in existence for centuries and
with time there has been a lot of improvement in the Jua Kali especially with
the introduction of welding equipment in Kenya.
Gone are the days when the only form of welding was forge
welding whereby the blacksmiths would join iron and steel by heating and hammering.
The welding process has greatly evolved and things are now
much easier due to the different welding process band welding equipment.
The entire welding process also improved immensely with the
introduction of various energy sources such as electricity whereby you can use
the electric arc, laser or even the electron beam, there is also the use of a
gas flame, friction as well as ultrasound.
The fact that welding can be done in different environments,
including underwater and outer space is a clear indication of how this industry
has really grown unlike in the past whereby welding was only done on land.
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| Welding Equipment in Kenya |
How
welding equipment in Kenya work
Different types of welding require different types of welding
equipment so as to perform the tasks of welding well.
These include;
Stick welding (shielded metal arc welding)
This type of welding is done manually and uses an electrode
with a flux. The melting electrode is held by the electrode holder as it melts
away.
It is the most popular welding process due to the simplicity
of operation and equipment. It is mostly used in industrial fabrication and construction
of steel structures.
Gas tungsten arc welding
Also known as tungsten inert gas welding, it is a process
that uses a tungsten electrode to weld. The weld is protected by an inert gas, argon. Sometimes a metal filter is used.
This type of welding is used to weld stainless steel and
other metals such as aluminium, copper and magnesium alloys. Compared to shielded
and gas metal arc welding, this type of welding gives the welder control over
the welding process allowing stronger welds.
Submerged arc welding
This type of welding utilizes a flat strip electrode. The molten weld is
protected a flux consisting of lime, silica, manganese oxide, calcium fluoride
and other compounds.
The process of welding is limited to flat welding positions and constant
voltage welding supplies are utilized.
Oxy-fuel welding
This is the most common and oldest type of gas welding, although it has
become quite unpopular in recent years.
The equipment used bin this type of welding are inexpensive and simple. It
is slower compared to the arc welding due to the less concentrated flame used. Its
main disadvantage is that it can lead to stress and distortion.
Spot welding
It is a popular form of resistance welding used to join overlapping
metal sheets. It uses two electrodes that clamp the metal sheets together and pass
a current.
Its efficient energy use is one of its advantages together with higher
production rates. However, it has low weld strength.
Well, I believe you now have a bit of understanding of how welding equipment in Kenya work and why different welding processes need different welding machines.
