Types of welding: SMAW, GMAW, GTAW, FCAW and oxy-acetylene
Stick welding works at your house.
Get QuoteThe five common types of welding are SMAW (stick), GMAW (MIG), GTAW (TIG), FCAW (flux-cored) and oxy-acetylene gas welding. They differ in how the weld is shielded from air: flux on a rod, gas from a cylinder, flux inside a wire, or a gas flame. At a house, stick welding is the usual choice: the equipment is portable and it works in wind. Our welder comes to you — see our welding services in southwest Cebu.
Five types of welding
| Process | Also called | How the weld is shielded | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMAW | Stick, MMA | Flux coating on the rod | Works in wind; portable |
| GMAW | MIG / MAG | Gas from a cylinder around a fed wire | Wind or rain affect the weld |
| GTAW | TIG | Inert gas around a tungsten electrode | Gas shield: needs shelter from wind |
| FCAW | Flux-cored | Flux inside a fed wire; FCAW-G adds gas | FCAW-S works outdoors and in wind |
| OAW | Oxy-acetylene, gas welding | Flame of fuel gas and oxygen | Low cost, highly portable |
TWI, MIG vs stick; AWS Welding Digest, FCAW; TWI, oxy-fuel welding.
TESDA welding qualifications
| Qualification | Nominal training hours |
|---|---|
| MMAW NC I (formerly SMAW) | 348 |
| MMAW NC II (formerly SMAW) | 338 |
| SMAW NC III | 120 |
| GMAW NC II | 268 |
| GTAW NC II | 268 |
| FCAW NC II | 268 |
Total hours in each TESDA training regulation. MMAW NC I and NC II (2021, formerly SMAW) include 80 hours of supervised industry learning.
Why stick welding is used at a house
Portable
Stick equipment is more portable than a MIG welder (TWI).
Works in wind
No gas cylinder: the flux on the rod shields the weld, even outdoors.
All positions
Rods like E6011, E6013 and E7018 weld flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead.
One machine, many rods
Change the rod for the job — see the welding rod guide.
Oxy-acetylene and eye safety
Oxy-acetylene welds and cuts with a flame. US workplace rules (OSHA), a reference rather than Philippine law: acetylene must not be used above 15 psig (103 kPa), and stored oxygen cylinders are kept 6.1 m from fuel-gas cylinders or behind a non-combustible barrier at least 1.5 m high (OSHA 1910.253).
Arc light burns the eyes. US lens shades (OSHA): 10 for stick welding with rods up to 5/32 inch (4.0 mm), 12 for gas-shielded arc welding of steel, and 4–8 for gas welding (OSHA 1910.252).
Grills, gates, railings and trusses at a house are mostly mild steel, which stick welding handles. Our welder does window grills, steel gates, railings and roof trusses on site. How jobs are priced: welding price guide.
Have a welding job? Get a welding quote — we come to measure in Ronda and southwest Cebu.
Questions
What are the main types of welding?
SMAW (stick), GMAW (MIG/MAG), GTAW (TIG), FCAW (flux-cored) and oxy-acetylene gas welding.
What is SMAW welding?
Shielded metal arc welding, or stick: an arc between a flux-coated rod and the steel; the flux shields the weld.
What is the difference between GMAW and FCAW?
GMAW uses a solid wire and gas from a cylinder; FCAW uses a wire filled with flux, and the self-shielded type needs no gas.
Which welding is best outdoors?
Stick (SMAW) and self-shielded flux-cored (FCAW-S); wind blows away the shielding gas of MIG and TIG.
Is there TESDA training for welding?
Yes: MMAW (formerly SMAW) NC I and NC II, SMAW NC III, and GMAW, GTAW and FCAW NC II. MMAW NC II is 338 hours.
