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Home / Collision Repair News / It's Called GMA Welding

It's Called GMA Welding

Posted on 25 October 2016 | Share: | Print Print

I-CAR will collectively refer to the gas metal arc welding process in our future courses and articles as GMA welding. For the past several years, we’ve referred to the process in our courses as GMA (MIG) welding. That was a combination of how the American Welding Society refers to the process, and how I-CAR used to refer to it.

But MIG, which stands for metal inert gas, is not a technically correct name unless welding with a purely inert gas, such as 100% argon. Pure argon is a common choice when welding aluminum and when brazing with a wire feed welder. The common mix for steel welding, 75% CO2 and 25% argon, is mostly an active gas (CO2), so technically should be called MAG welding, or even MAG/MIG. You’ll find the process referred to in both these ways in some OEM body repair information.

We’ve landed on GMA welding, whether wire feed welding steel or aluminum. The reference will start with the release of new vehicle and technology specific courses in January, 2017.

Additional I-CAR Collision Repair News you may find helpful:
Is it MIG or is it MAG?
Welding And MIG Brazing Hotspot

Related I-CAR Courses

Course Aluminum GMA Welding Theory

Course Steel GMA Welding Theory

Course Welding Training and Certification

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