HISTORY OF MIG (GMAW) WELDING

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SHORT AC EXPANDS THE PROCESS USE

 “Spay Transfer” (as defined in the early patents) when practiced for out-of-position welding, required wires as small as 0.020 diameter.  Puddle control and weld penetration were problems with this approach not to mention wire feeding difficulties.  This limited the use of the process.

The short circuiting, or “Short Arc” mode of metal transfer was developed to: 1) allow welding with more practically sized wires, like 0.035 inch diameter, 2) maintain puddle control and 3) reduce spatter by having the arc extinguish at a high frequency.

A colleague from the Linde Division of UCC Labs, Gus Manz (who has over 30 patents in the welding field) filed Patent Number 3,054,884 in September 1960 that was assigned to Linde.  It defines how and why a MIG arc behaves as it does.  He defines a way to optimize the arc and weld performance by controlling the power supply slope and inductance, particularly for welding in the short circuiting mode.  See photograph left of this power supply in use, called the Linde SVI-300.

Manz in patent number 3,051,020 filed in August of 1962 and assigned to Linde, describes circuits to control this short circuiting.  Subsequent patents, 3,051,829; 3,250,894 and 3,275,797 describe refinements to this process. 

Shielding gas mixtures also aided the production of quality short circuit welding.  Al Lesnewich et al from Airco filed patent 3,496,323 in December of 1965 which defined a 40 to 50% Argon, 1 to 15% CO₂ and 1 to 15% Helium mixture for short circuit welding.

With the advent of product designs making “Short Arc” welding easy and economical to use, the MIG process gained much broader acceptance. It could now be used for all position welding.  A “One Knob” welder was defined by Manz in Patent Number 3,125,671 applied for in May of 1962 and assigned to Linde. This was the first easy to use device for the welder who was familiar with welding with stick electrode.  It had the “One Knob” he new how to adjust, heat!  Turn it clockwise and the “heat” increases.  You can see from this old photo there were no other knobs on the feeder or power supply.  These controls were linked mechanically within the welder!  When the outside "Heat Knob" was tuned a properly sized pulley and belt arrangement tuned the wire feed sped potentiometer the proper amount. (Even with the elaborate electronics we have today where making a system of this type would be much easier, everyone insists on putting on more controls than needed!  Maybe someone will produce a “One Knob” welder again!)

FLUX CORED WIRE

Although we will not attempt to cover all the innovations in welding materials for MIG welding, the introduction of Cored Wire, both flux and metal cored, significantly increased the use of the MIG process and should be recognized.  As early as September 1918, E. H. Jones of Great Britain filed a patent, number 1,387,157 for a product which put flux into a metal sheath (photo left.) 

An interesting anecdote about the development of self shielding cored wire mentions a reported comment by Jim Lincoln, who remained as the head of the company bearing his name until his death in 1965 at age 82.  One of their research engineers reportedly showed him a flux cored wire he developed that used CO₂ gas shielding.  Jim Lincoln (who had fought the major gas companies promoting oxyacetylene "gas welding" over "electric welding" much of his carrier) reportedly said something like, "If I wanted you to use gas shielding I would have asked for that - go back to the drawing board!” 

Reinforcing the companies dedication not to support anything that could assist their gas supplier competitors, is Lincoln’s first compact MIG welding machine designed for Innershield welding with their gasless wire. When lifting the wire access door, a label inside stated something to the effect, “This machine is not designed to be used with gas shielded wire, you do so at your own risk!"

Lincoln also refused to label their 1st small diameter solid wire as meeting AWS Specifications for MIG welding! William Irrgang heading the company at the time, was 58 years old when he became President and followed Jim Lincoln's business philosophies. The small diameter MIG sold wire they sold was labeled with a Submerged Arc Specification, AWS SFA5.17; EM13K.  It is likely little, if any, of the 0.035/0.045 inch diameter wire was every sold for use with the submerged arc process! It is the same alloy as the MIG wire specification AWS SFA5.18; ER70S-3, however they did not have to endorse the use of shielding gas by reporting the wire qualification test was made with gas!

JF Lincoln created is a very successful welding company that has many unique and employee supportive business practices.  The company has successfully changed in modern times from some of the older practices mentioned above but it is of historical interest to see the business success achieved and Lincoln's influence on the history of welding with these centrally driven, focused philosophies. See Lincoln Info

The unique management techniques employed by Jim Lincoln had an influence on the development of welding history.  A summary  of some key points in his business book(s) and some of my direct experiences related to the company is available as a PDF download. The similarities to the management techniques employed by Henry Ford and Fred Taylor's  work are included.

CLICK to Download PDF

Lincoln Electric received a lot of positive press from Harvard Business Review, etc.  Some came from what was a unique business philosophy of focusing on being low cost producer, making the same products cheaper and lowering prices.  But most came from paying hourly workers very high bonuses that in years past was 100% of earned salary and in the mid 1970's for some exceeded $100,000 total compensation. They also guaranteed a 30-hour work week in tough economic times.
However, that very ridged philosophy had flaws, and some are only coming to light in a Book from a former Lincoln CEO, Don Hastings!  This paper gives an insight into how we competed with this low-cost producer, often using what the founder, JF Lincoln advised in his management books! Hope you find a fun read.

Click to Download PDF

UNIONARC

Another innovative process variant was introduced by Linde Division of UCC known as Unionarc.  Harry Kennedy, who had the basic Submerged Arc patents, in September of 1941, filed Patent number 2,326,865 which was assigned to the Linde.  As mentioned under the History of Submerged Arc, he was receiving a substantial royalty for the use of that process.  He claims in that patent the use of 10 to 20% ferrous metal in a flux to make it cling to a DC electrode.  That process was refined and Patent Number 2,947,847 filed January 1955 and was issued to Craig, Rockefeller, Stanchus and Davis, assigned to the Linde Division of UCC.  [I knew the fist three well.  Crag and Stanchus worked in the Linde Division of UCC Labs as did I.  Rockefeller was the General Manager of the Linde Division of UCC Welding Department when I joined the Lab.  Now I understand why he came to see me weld with his "Bottle Torch” some years later!  The "bottle torch" was an interesting simple method of applying Unionarc.  Instead of a complex device needed to feed the flux to the torch a small plastic bottle of flux was placed on the torch and feed the proper amount of flux by gravity.  It worked! ]  As noted in the figure from their patent (left), a magnetic flux was transported by CO₂ from a pressure container to the torch.  The torch also had a conventional solid wire going through the contact tip (usually 3/32) and the magnetic flux clung to it as it exited the shielding gas cup.  It looked like a "hairy stick electrode!"  For a variety of reasons the process never caught on.

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