Both MIG and MAG welding are a type of gas metal arc welding. However, there is a difference between MIG and MAG welding: The type of shielding gas. This blog will explain the difference between the two welding processes. We especially pay attention to the gasses used and material possibilities to join.
MIG welding
When you want to work with a MIG welding wire, you will have to use inert welding gas to shield the weld puddle from substances in the atmosphere. Inert gasses such as helium and argon do not interact with the molten metal and eventually give the molten metal strong protection against oxidation.
The composition of the inert welding gas depends on the metal you would like to join. For example, to weld non-ferrous materials you need 100% argon. Non-ferrous materials are metals such as Aluminum, Magnesium, Copper, and Nickel or their alloys. You can keep a long arc with lower voltage relatively easily with argon gas. This comes because the argon gas produces a favorable atmosphere in the weld puddle that is very easy to ionize. Besides argon gas, also 100% helium can be used. 100% Helium gas can be used when thick sections of aluminum or magnesium should be used. However, this will reduce the arc stability. Furthermore, Helium can be added to Argon when you want to increase arc heat, weld penetration, and puddle fluidity.
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MAG welding
The MAG welding process is similar to the MIG process. To weld with a MAG welding machine, you should use active gas or a combination of active gas and inert gases. Active gases influence the weld penetration, piddle fluidity, arc stability, and weld spatter.
The commonly used active shielding gasses for MAG welding are oxygen and carbon dioxide. However, oxygen is only used in combination with argon while carbon dioxide can be used 100%. We recommend mixing oxygen with argon gas because this provides a stable path for the arc to follow and you will be able to make a better weld. This is because the mix of argon and oxygen creates a reaction on the steel surface that results in a uniform iron oxide surface.
However, most welders use carbon dioxide frequently instead of oxygen. Whatever you want to join, with MAG you open a lot of possibilities. MAG can be used for almost all kinds of ferrous and carbon steel as well as stainless steel of various thicknesses. Also, aluminum can be joined with the MAG process. You just have to set the current alternate between the base current and peak current, and you can weld aluminum in a very controlled way without burning up the top surface. When welding higher alloy steel and aluminum, you have to reduce the intensity of the weld. You can do this by increasing the volume of inert gases.
Conclusion and tips
The main difference between the two types is the type of gasses that are used. For MIG welding only inert gas or gas mixture are used for shielding gas purposes. In MAG welding metal active gases are used for shielding the weld puddle.
#Tip 1: Go for MIG welding for joining thin metal frame projects for a better quality finish.
#Tip 2: Go for MAG welding for protection against oxidation
#Tip 3: Go for MAG welding if you want to create a higher working speed.
#Tip 4: MAG welding is often cheaper because CO2 has lower costs than Argon or Helium.
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