Shielded Metal Arc Welding

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) is often referred to as stick welding. This process uses a consumable electrode which is covered with a flux designed to produce the shielding gas and a layer of slag that protects the weld from contamination. This property makes the SMAW process suitable for circumstances where contamination is likely when using processes such as GTAW and GMAW, such as dirty or rusty base metal and outdoor projects. This process is suitable for use on steel, stainless steel and cast iron base materials.