MIG and TIG both join metal, but they're very different processes with different strengths. Choosing the wrong one means either a part that's too expensive, or a weld that doesn't hold up. Here's how we decide which process to use.
MIG (Metal Inert Gas) uses a continuously fed wire electrode and shielding gas. It's fast, it deposits a lot of metal, and it's great for production welding of mild steel. Frames, brackets, base plates, structural components — MIG is the default for steel fabrication.
The trade-off is that MIG welds are rougher and more visible. For structural work where the weld is hidden or functional, that's fine. For visible architectural stainless work, MIG isn't the right choice.
TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) uses a tungsten electrode and filler rod, with shielding gas. It's slower and more skilled, but it produces a clean, precise, cosmetic weld. TIG is the process for stainless steel and aluminium, especially where the weld will be visible.
TIG welds on stainless can be dressed and blended to look almost invisible. On aluminium, TIG gives the cleanest, strongest joint. It's slower than MIG, so it costs more — but for the right application, it's the only option.
We choose the process based on three things: material (mild steel = MIG, stainless/aluminium = TIG), finish requirement (visible/cosmetic = TIG, hidden/functional = MIG), and volume (production runs = MIG for speed, one-off precision = TIG). We never use TIG when MIG would do the job just as well — that would be charging you for unnecessary process. But we also never use MIG when the application needs TIG-quality.
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