Both metal fabrication and welding are invaluable services to cities and communities. Often metal fabrication and welding are often confused or sometimes thought to be the same thing. However, these are two different types of metalworking services. To better understand the differences between welding and metal fabrication, Liston Metalworks will break these two services down.
What is the Process of Welding?
For those unfamiliar with welding, wilding involves fusing two and more pieces of metal together. There are a number of different welding techniques, each varying in use. Each also has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some of the more common welding techniques include shielded metal arc welding, flux core arc welding, gas metal and gas tungsten arc welding. Even though there are a number of different welding methods or techniques, each has the same goal of permanently bonding different metal materials together.
Metal Fabrication Techniques
Metal fabrications involve many different types of metalworking strategies which will include the use of welding. Metal fabrication begins and requires the engineering, layout and or design which often creates structures and components. Metal fabrication includes the aid of a designer as much as metal cutting, machining, and the forming or various metal parts. Metal fabrication will use many different metalworking tools and techniques to create a structure or products.
Welder & Metal Fabricator Skills
Metal fabrications often utilize a number of tabletop machines and tools. Some tabletop tools such as a plasma cutter can input a shape and size of a piece that is needed and the machine cuts the metal without much involvement from a person. Welding is much different. Welding uses large stationary tools or small mobile tools that provide welding services to various sites and locations. Welding is done with the skill of a welder, who performs this service by hand. A welder undergoes years of training and practice to achieve the degree of skill to ensure quality joint and bindings. Where some hands-on welding is utilized in some metal fabrication, often precision work is done with the aid of machines and tools. It is important that you have a metal worker that is well versed in the many tools and machines used during metal fabrication. It is also important that a welder has the proper training and experience to create strong welds and blinding. Metalworking is a labor intensive field that requires a lot of time and dedication.
What Types of Metal is Used in Fabrication & Welding?
Both metal fabrication and welding can work the same types of steel. Welding usually works with steel and iron where metal fabrication works with steel, copper, tin, iron, magnesium and even nickel, silver and gold. Metal fabrication is often used to create parts and components. In addition, they can also be used for larger projects. Welding can fuse a number of different types of metals together. However, they tend to repair cracks, binding, joint and weld metal frames and structures. As a result welders do not work with a number of metal types as metal fabrication will.
Custom Metal Fabrication in Washington, Hurricane, Santa Clara, Ivins, La Verkin, Hildale, Toquerville, Enterprise & Greater St. George, UT
Both welding and metal fabrication is essential to a number of industries as well as for residential needs. If you need metal fabrication, welding and other metalworking services, contact Liston Metalworks today!
