Amongst all the industries, perhaps the most technically least known industry is aviation. The reason behind the latter is probably the fact that not many people own private planes or feel the need to be involved in aviation matters. That is, as long as an average individual gets frequent news regarding flights, routes, accidents, upgrades, and more, they do not feel the need to get involved in the technical aspects of the matter at hand.
As a result, very few individuals request aviation welding services. Contrarily, airlines and aircraft enthusiasts are, to some extent, involved in the industry. Yet, even they fail to differentiate between various technical terms. Two of such frequently confused terms are welding and metal fabrication. People also get confused between different aircraft parts.
Do you know the difference between an engine mount and an engine injector?
Well, that is a topic for another day. Today, we shall use this blog post to enlighten our readers regarding the difference between metal fabrication and welding. This information will prove quite handy when you feel the need to get your aircraft maintenanced or have its parts replaced.
Before delving deeper into the terms, it would be wise to first state their respective general definitions to lay a foundation.
What Is Welding?
In the context of aviation, welding is a technique used by companies to fuse two or more components together. Several factors are essential for this fusion to succeed. Firstly, the components in question should have a similar chemical composition and must reach boiling point at almost the same time. Under extreme heat, these components are first melted and then diligently fused as the cooling process begins.
The latter results in a significantly stronger bond than that created when metals are joined using other bonding techniques. This technique is primarily used in aircraft part repair and maintenance.
What Is Metal Fabrication?
On the other hand, metal fabrication is more of an umbrella term. It involves the crafting of different metallic objects or machines. In the aviation context, this technique is mainly used to craft different aircraft parts such as engine mounts. Metal fabrication involves various processes, including cutting, bending and assembling metallic components.
Hence, one may call welding a subcategory of metal fabrication. However, the latter is not necessarily always the case. Welding is only a part of metal fabrication when two metals are being fused.
What Are The Differentiating Characteristics Of The Two?
There are numerous aspects that set these two terms apart. Let us discuss each of the differentiating aspects in detail:
Industrial Use
Besides aviation, welding techniques are also used in other industries, including thermoplastic and glass. On the other hand, metal fabrication, as the name suggests, is only relevant for items created using metals. Hence, it is not always correct to regard welding as a sub-process of metal fabrication.
The above is perhaps the biggest difference between the two terms.
Skill Sets
Since welding and metal fabrication work on different materials, the skills required to handle the two processes are also very different. For example, An expert in glass can never work as a metal fabricator without prior training regardless of the level of their expertise.
Why?
Well, because the chemical properties of glass and metal are as different as the sky and the earth.
The Tools Used In The Process
Since metal fabrication is a vast term, the list of tools used in the process is also quite comprehensive. They include laser cutters, plasma torches, mechanical saws, stretchers and shears, and lathes.
On the other hand, welding uses power sources, consumable electrodes, welding clamps, etc in the process. The tools used in one process can not be used in the other one.
However, both processes require the use of safety equipment since the tasks either involve cutting or melting. Evidently, working with heated metal and other elements can be dangerous. Any minor mishap can lead to severe injuries.
How Important Are Welding And Metal Fabrication In Aviation?
The aviation industry involves the crafting of various parts of an aircraft, their repair, and maintenance. Since, aircraft parts are made from metal welding and metal fabrication are used a lot in the industry.
About Acorn Welding
Whether you are looking for aviation welding services or seek premium quality aircraft parts, Acorn Welding is your ultimate stop. With a combined experience of about a hundred years, our seasoned team blends innovation with excellent craftsmanship so that our clients enjoy unmatched superior services all across Alberta. Contact us for more information.
