Every industrial establishment, small and large, is now equipped with welding appliances. Welding has become one of the principal means of fabricating and repairing metal products. Modern welding has become one of the principal means of fabricating and repairing metal products. Modern welding methods date from the discovery of electric current by Davey in 1912. In 1881, electric welding was first brought into use. The first practical torch having an oxy-acetylene flame for welding was used by Fouche and Picard in 1901. This method was first applied in 1903.

The vast expansion of welding processes used in industry can be judged by the amount of welding material used every year. In the U.S.A. in 1937, five billion cubic feet of oxygen and two billion cubic feet of acetylene were used for welding. In the same year, 155,310,000 pounds of welding wire were also used. Welding finds extensive use in the following industries: aerospace and rocketry, automotive, railroad, shipbuilding, containers, furniture and fixtures, industry machinery, personal service machinery, building and bridge construction, maintenance, etc.

Welding is subject to greater hazards than any other manual or manufacturing activity, and these may lead to serious accidents not only for the workman himself but also for those in his vicinity. For this reason, safety regulations for welding have been framed by all the countries in the world.

Due to the nature of the process, the welder’s body and clothing must also be protected from radiation and burns caused by flying globules of molten metal. The arc, in addition to being very bright, is a source of infrared and ultraviolet light, which are harmful to the eyes and skin. The fumes also cause some problems.