MIG/MAG welding

MIG/MAG welding is gas-shielded metal arc welding (GMAW): a continuously fed solid or metal-cored wire arcs to the work under a shielding gas, the wire acting as both electrode and filler. MIG (metal inert gas) uses argon or argon-helium for aluminum and stainless; MAG (metal active gas) uses CO2 or argon-CO2 for carbon and low-alloy hull steel. The high deposition rate and easy mechanization make it the workhorse of yard panel lines and robotic cells. Spray, globular, pulsed, and short-circuit transfer modes trade penetration against positional control. Diffusible hydrogen stays low with clean wire and dry gas, which matters for crack resistance in H36-grade steel.