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Machines & equipment
Welding & Fabrication Equipment
Arc, MIG, TIG and plasma, with the accessories and consumables that go with them.
Overview
What this covers
Chosen by
Material, thickness and finish.
Processes
ARC, MIG, TIG, plasma cutting.
Duty cycle
How long it welds before resting.
Equipment
Machines in this group
Marked by how we normally hold them. Availability is confirmed at quotation.
Arc / inverter welding
General steel welding on site.
MIG welding
Volume work and thinner material.
TIG welding
Stainless, aluminium and visible welds.
Plasma cutting
Cutting conductive metal cleanly.
Cables & holders
Getting current to the work.
Protection
Eyes, face and body.
Gas cutting
Oxy-fuel cutting and heating.
Applications
Typical work
- Structural steel fabrication
- Gates, grilles and railings
- Sheet metal work
- Stainless steel fabrication and food-grade work
- On-site repair welding
- Cutting plate and section to shape
Who buys these
Trades and teams
Power
Power and drive options
Inverter machines have largely replaced transformers for portable work — they are lighter, more efficient and run from a normal supply at lower current settings. Higher current and MIG or TIG machines may want three phase.
Duty cycle matters more than maximum current. A machine rated at high current but a low duty cycle will stop to cool during continuous work. Read both figures together from the manufacturer’s specification.
Comparison
How the options compare
| ARC (MMA) | MIG | TIG | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | General steel, site work | Volume production, sheet | Stainless, aluminium, visible welds |
| Consumable | Coated electrodes | Wire and shielding gas | Filler rod and shielding gas |
| Gas required | No | Yes | Yes |
| Skill needed | Moderate | Lower | Higher |
| Weld appearance | Adequate, needs cleaning | Good | Best |
| Site suitability | Very good — no gas bottle | Moderate | Lower |
| Speed | Moderate | Fast | Slow |
Choosing
How to choose
- Name the material and thickness. Steel, stainless and aluminium point to different processes.
- Decide whether the weld will be seen. Visible welds on stainless or aluminium point to TIG.
- Consider where the work happens. ARC needs no gas bottle, which matters on site. MIG and TIG do.
- Read duty cycle with current. A high current rating at a low duty cycle is not the same as sustained output.
- Confirm the supply. Higher-output machines may need three phase.
Accessories
What goes with it
Accessories
Consumables and wear parts
Safety equipment
Ownership
Maintenance, spares and service
Keep the machine and its vents free of grinding dust — conductive dust inside a welding machine causes failures. Check cables and holders for damage regularly; a worn earth clamp is a common cause of poor welds that gets blamed on the machine.
Consumables are a real running cost. Electrodes, wire, gas and tips are consumed continuously and should be budgeted alongside the machine.
Price
What affects the price
- Process — ARC, MIG, TIG or multi-process
- Current output rating
- Duty cycle
- Inverter or transformer
- Single or three phase
- Brand
- Torch, cables and accessories included
- Warranty and service terms
- Spare parts availability
- Quantity
Availability
What affects availability and lead time
- Inverter ARC machines, cables, holders and helmets move fastest
- MIG and TIG machines available through the supplier network in limited quantity
- Plasma cutters and higher-output machines are sourced on order
- Three-phase and higher-current models need supplier confirmation
Quotation
What to send with an enquiry
- The material and thickness you weld most often
- Whether the weld will be visible
- Where the work happens — workshop or site
- Expected daily welding hours
- Power available, single or three phase
- Whether gas supply is available
- Quantity, preferred brand and whether accessories are needed
Avoid
Common mistakes
- Choosing by maximum current alone and ignoring duty cycle
- Buying MIG or TIG for site work where gas supply is impractical
- Forgetting that consumables are a continuing cost
- Using a damaged earth clamp and blaming the machine
Questions
Frequently asked
How do I choose a welding machine?
Start with the material and thickness, then how the weld must look, then where the work happens. Those three usually select the process.
Once the process is settled, compare machines on current output and duty cycle together — not on current alone.
What is the difference between MIG, TIG and ARC welding?
ARC uses coated electrodes and needs no gas, which makes it the practical site process. MIG feeds wire with shielding gas and is fast for volume and sheet. TIG uses a filler rod with gas and gives the cleanest weld, on stainless and aluminium in particular.
ARC is the most forgiving to learn; TIG demands the most skill.
Do I need three-phase power for welding?
Not for most inverter ARC machines, which run from a normal single-phase supply. Higher-output machines and many MIG and TIG units do. Confirm the supply before selecting.
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