Hi Dick,
Wire feed welders come in the following common descriptions; MIG (metal inert gas) when a solid wire continous electrode is used with an inert shielding gas also called GMAW (gas metal arc welding)and FCAW (flux cored arc welding). FCAW is when a tubular wire electrode is used with or w/o a shielding gas. MAG ( metal active gas)where a wire electrode is used with an active gas such as CO2. The advantages wire feed machines have over SMAW (Stick) are: Less skill required to weld thin material, less skill required to weld out of position, less skill required to maintain arc and feed electrode, choice of multiple arc types ( short circuit, spray transfer etc.), much greater efficiency of consumable electrode, faster weld times due to higher weld efficiency and feed of continuous electrode. These are some quick ones that come to mind.Disadvantages of wire compared to stick: Electrodes often cannot be purchased in smallest quantity, equipment cost is higher when comparing machine outputs and material thickness capability, not ideally suited to repair welding on contaminated metals, not ideally suited to outdoor welding applications, not always practical for hard to reach or highly elevated welding, mutiple gases required to weld multiple types of metals, more frequent replacement of moving parts, higher cost of replacement consumable parts, etc. TIG (tungsten inert gas) is a totally different process. TIG is analogous to a cross between brazing and arc welding. A hand held electrode is fed into the arc where capillary flow results in a metallurgical bond. For production there are wire fed TIG welders. Primarily, TIG process was intended for aluminum. It is however ideally suited to any thin material application and TIG welds are cosmetically appealing. A shielding gas is chosen based on metal type and thickness. Every process is best suited to a particular situation depending on the type of metal and the end result that you want to achieve. For maintenance, stick welding is still the most widely used according to studies done by the AWS. Wire welders are still being adapted to many applications by companies like ours.
HTH, Steve
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