Successful MIG Techniques

Like any other activity, welding success begins with the five Ps: Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance. And it doesn’t hurt if you know how to hold and operate a MIG gun to produce quality welds. This quick refresher article is written for people with enough welding know-how to set voltage and amperage parameters, but who want to improve their overall welding technique.

Gun Angles
Welding gun angles help shape the weld bead and determine the degree of penetration into the base metal. The fundamentals of a good weld cover the angle of the gun to the joint (work angle), the travel angle and your gun technique.

End View of Work Angles

Work Angle. Work angle is defined as the angle to either side of the gun between the base metal and the gun.

Side View of Gun Angles

Travel Angle. Travel angle is defined as the angle relative to the gun in a perpendicular position. A travel angle of five to 15 degrees in all positions produces the best results. Travel angles beyond 20 to 25 degrees can lead to more spatter, less penetration and general arc instability.

Gun Technique. The most common technique is the push method (also called the forehand or leading method) that involves pushing the gun away from (ahead of) the weld puddle. Pushing usually produces lower penetration and a wider, flatter bead and can help when welding thin materials. The other common technique is the drag method (also called the backhand, pull or trailing method), in which the welding gun is pointed back at the weld puddle and dragged away from the deposited metal. Dragging typically produces deeper penetration and a narrower bead with more buildup.

Gun Angles and Weld Bead Profiles

If you’d like further basic information on the MIG process, click here to view the online MIG training materials.