Wielding is
the process of holding a tool or a weapon in your hand so that you can use it.
Wielding equipment in Kenya are common in the so called jua cali industry. They
are used to especially join pieces of metal to make compact products like metallic
doors, wheelbarrows safe deposit boxes, tables chairs to mention but a few.
Wielding machines
have contributed immensely to the growth of jua cali sector in Kenya. Many jobs
have so far been created in this sector.
Types of wielding equipment in Kenya
The various
types of wielding machines and joining machines include the complete devices as
well as their power sources, monitors and controls. Wielding machines in Kenya can
be sold as complete systems within their power sources and control units.
A complete
wielding machine or joining machine is comprised of a complete wielding, cutting,
surfacing equipment or system. Also included in the set could be power sources,
cables, feeders, robots and any required component.
Wielding
monitors or controllers are instruments that control the power output or input
of a wielding machine.
The most common
types of wielding machines in Kenya include
- Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
- Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
- Multi-process
- Orbital / Tube Arc Welding
- Plasma arc welding
- Flash welding
- Projection welding
- Resistance seam welding
- Spot welding
- Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
- stud arc welding
- Submerged arc welding (SAW)
- Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
Frictional or other fusion welding
types that apply to weld machines and joining machines include:
- Electron beam welding
- friction welding
- Hot plate welding
- plastic welding
- Laser welding
- Oxyfuel welding
- Thermite or exothermic welding
- ultrasonic or linear friction welding
Great caution should be taken when
handling the machines. For example the maximum AC input should be keenly noted.
Also one should know the amount of time the machines should be left on. Safety
guidelines are always provided with respect to the handling of wielding machines.
Disregarding machines manual could lead to accidents and sometimes loss of
lives.
Different types of wielding.
There are different types of machine wielding. Arc wielding for example is a type of
low cost wielding that begins with a device that gives off an electric current. This device can differ greatly from process to
process yet it always enables electric current to move through materials that
without the device, would be considered
non-conductive.
Electroslag wielding is a
generally fast welding process used to join large materials such as thick steel
plates.
Flux-cored welding purpose
is to give another option to the popular use of ‘stick welding’.
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
consists of the use of a welding gun which automatically feeds the weld metal
through the gun for use.
Gas Tungsten-Arc Welding requires
a great amount of focus and skill due to the small area of space between the
’arc’ of the flame and the material being welded.
Those are some of the
wielding types among many others.
In a nutshell, wielding equipment in Kenya are on a high demand. This is attributed to the high number
of trained personnel and fewer white collar job opportunities.
