- Welding wire is a necessary part of any arc welding job. The way this process works is that an electrical current is run through an electrode that arcs from the welder to the seam that's being welded. A welding wire is a thin wire that is placed in or near the arc, and which melts as the welding process continues. The melted metal from the wire assists in sealing a seam, and it is necessary to a good weld. However, there are dozens of different types of welding wires, and they're made from a variety of materials. Generally, though, the manufacturing process is similar for all of them.
- The first step in the manufacturing process is to gather the raw materials. Most heavy duty welding wire has a steel core, though some wire is made from recycled, scrap steel. Copper coatings will also be necessary, but those will come later. Once the steel (for the purpose of this example) is gathered, it's melted down and all impurities are removed. Once this is done, the steel will be run through a series of progressively smaller dies, becoming more solid even as it's pulled out into wire. The wire is usually tested to be sure that it's of the proper quality, and bad wire is sent back to be re-melted and purified to try the process again.
- Once the wire has been pulled out and thinned to the proper gauge, it could theoretically be used as is for welding wire. However, many people use a machine that automatically feeds welding wire into the arc so that the welder doesn't have to hold the wire in his other hand. This is why the steel wire is given a copper coating. Copper is softer metal that will be gentler on the feed mechanism, and it will add to the seam to make it stronger. Welding wire is usually dipped, and then run through another die to ensure a proper, even coat of copper on the wire.
