CNC + welding; a perfect match!

A lot of people describe welding as an course, unprecise proces. TIG welding is another story. With no sparks, little smoke, and no dirty afterprocessing needed, it is the perfect welding process for a fablab. 

And, if you combine it with CNC machines for jig making, you can make very precise parts!

Here is a job i was comissioned this week: welding a steel frame with a central tube.

The jig has been machined on the CNC router

This is our bandsaw. It is slow, but very precise.

For the optimal result, all parts should be clean and without grease.

The parts has been put in place in the jig, and is ready for welding. The fume extractor is an important piece of equipment, as metal fumes can be highly toxic.

A finnished weld.

The central joint. These welds has been brushed with a drill powered wirebrush.

The jig has done its job, and can now be thrown away, or the material could be used for other projects.