Ever wondered which of these two welding methods came first — and why they even exist in the first place?I know, you’ve probably got a welder in your garage or shop and don’t really care that much. Fair enough. This article might not be for you. But if you’ve got that spark of curiosity in you… imagine this: MIG.
MIG – born in 1948 in the United States, mainly for welding aluminum and other non-ferrous metals.
Yup, that’s right – MIG came first, way before MAG was even a thing.
The whole idea was to tame aluminum – a tricky, temperamental material. And as we all know: aluminum + traditional stick electrode? Yeah, not a great combo. Ugly welds, blobs, frustration – just bad times.
So what did they do?
They came up with a system where:
- You’ve got wire on a spool that feeds automatically,
- You use an inert gas (like argon) that doesn’t react with aluminum,
- And you can weld continuously – no stopping, no switching electrodes, much faster.
Most sources point to a company called Airco (Air Reduction Company) – pioneers in welding tech – so it’s safe to say they played a key role in developing semi-automatic welding.
It was like stepping into the 21st century… except it was still 1948.
Only later did someone realize: “Hey, what if instead of inert gas, we use an active one (like CO₂ or gas blends)? We could weld steel the same way!” And so MAG was born – MIG’s brother, but more into working with
The First MIG Welders? Absolute Units.
You know how today’s MIG/MAG machines are these neat little boxes on wheels that you can roll around your garage? Well, the first ones? More like industrial fridges than toolboxes.
The original semi-auto welders from Airco were proper beasts – we’re talking:
- Massive transformers,
- Separate wire feeders,
- Argon tanks the size of a gas station column,
- And cables as thick as a fire hose.
No electronics yet – everything was done with analog knobs, relays, and pure patience. Setting one of those up took more zen than assembling IKEA furniture without the manual.
But once it worked? Pure magic. Fast welding, clean arc, and aluminum – which used to be the nightmare of welders – suddenly became manageable.
Steel – MAG as a tech really started picking up in the 1950s. Sure, there were some experiments with CO₂ in the late ’40s already, but it wasn’t until the ’50s that MAG hit the factory floors in a big way.
And again – you won’t find one clear “start date.” It was just a natural evolution of MIG. You could say MAG is the younger brother, made for tougher jobs.
CO₂ as a shielding gas had its downsides – more spatter, less arc stability – but it was cheap and easy to get. The industry loved it.
Then came the gas blends… and things got interesting.
When Did MAG Gas Blends Come Into Play?
After that early CO₂ success, people quickly realized it wasn’t all sunshine and perfect welds. Pure CO₂ had some issues:
- Unstable arc,
- More spatter,
- Less pretty welds,
- Higher heat input.
So by the 1960s, folks started experimenting with gas blends, like:
- Argon + CO₂ (usually 82/18 or 80/20) – still the gold standard today,
- Argon + CO₂ + a touch of O₂ (like 2%) – helps control the arc even better and improves wetting of the weld.
It was like tuning your welding rig – trying to hit that sweet spot between quality and cost. Pure argon’s great, but also kinda pricey.
Why bother with blends?
- More stable arc,
- Less spatter,
- Nicer-looking welds,
- Better arc control on thin materials,
- Easier automation (robots, production lines, the works).
So yeah, you could say:
CO₂ was the raw power move. Gas blends? That’s MAG’s high society era – especially in the ’60s and ’70s, when automation was starting to boom.
Early Wire Sizes – When Did Standards Show Up?
Welding wires started to get standardized around the ’50s and ’60s – when MIG/MAG was becoming a serious industrial player.
Before that? Wild west. Every manufacturer did their own thing depending on the country or application.
Most common wire sizes (then and now):
- 0.6 mm – super thin, great for auto bodywork and fine welds
- 0.8 mm – the all-rounder, go-to size for general workshop use
- 1.0 mm – for thicker materials, like structural steel
- 1.2 mm+ – for heavy industry, thick plates, and robotic welding
The sizes aren’t random – they match up with material thickness, current range, and weld type.
Who laid down the rules?
- AWS (American Welding Society) – in the US,
- ISO – internationally,
- DIN – Germany (they were really on top of things).
Eventually, we got wire classifications like SG2, ER70S-6, etc. – which tell you not just the diameter, but also the chemical composition and performance specs.
Germany’s DIN Standards – Before It Was Cool
The Germans? Oh, they were deep in it before anyone else even started organizing.
As soon as MIG/MAG began gaining traction, they hit the scene with full precision mode: DIN – Deutsches Institut für Normung – their national standardization powerhouse.
Thanks to them, stuff like:
- Wire sizes,
- Torch types,
- Drive rollers,
…started to get cleaned up and properly standardized. Much of what’s now a European norm? You can trace that back to DIN putting in the work.
Later, DIN standards either merged with ISO or were synced with it – but Germany definitely got the ball rolling.
What’s Up with American Wire Sizes?
In the U.S., the popular wire sizes are:
- 0.030″ → ~0.8 mm
- 0.035″ → ~0.9 mm
- 0.045″ → ~1.1 mm
And here’s the kicker:
Same uses, just different numbers.
- Euro 0.8 mm = US 0.030″
- Euro 1.0 mm = US 0.040″
- 0.035″ is that in-between size – kind of their “0.9 mm-ish”
Why the mix-up?
Because the U.S. never fully adopted the metric system, so most of their gear – rollers, feeders, torches – is calibrated in inches.
And welding wire? It’s precise. Even a 0.1 mm mismatch can mess up feed rates or cause issues with rollers.
So what does industry do?
Big global players (like Lincoln Electric, ESAB, Fronius) make wires in both formats. So you’ll find spools labeled:
- 0.8 mm ISO
- 0.030” USA
…and so on. Everybody wins. Mostly.
MIG/MAG Welding Ranges – What Can You Actually Do With It?
Current ranges (amperage): Depends on material thickness, wire diameter, position, and shielding gas. But in general:
| Wire Diameter | Current Range [A] | Typical Use |
| 0.6 mm | 40–120 A | Thin sheets, car bodies, light steel |
| 0.8 mm | 50–180 A | Sheets up to ~5 mm, all-around jobs |
| 1.0 mm | 80–250 A | Steel structures, thicker parts |
| 1.2 mm | 100–350 A | Heavy-duty, thick welds, robots |
| 1.6 mm | 200–450 A | Super thick stuff – bridges, machinery |
Other factors?
- Torch type – water-cooled = more amps
- Wire feeder – can it keep up at high speeds?
- Welding position – vertical/uphill = lower amps than flat
MIG/MAG – The Workhorse of Modern Industry?
You bet.
Speed – spits welds like a machine gun, especially in automation
Versatility – steel, stainless, aluminum, thin or thick – bring it on
Automation-friendly – robots, synergic welders, production lines – this is home turf
Cost-effective – cheaper than TIG, simpler than stick, pays for itself fast
Great quality – with good settings and blends, the welds can be beautiful
Where will you see MIG/MAG most?
- Factories, industrial production
- Automotive (bodywork, frames)
- Construction (steel frameworks)
- Heavy industry, rail, shipbuilding
- Workshops and repair shops – MIG/MAG’s not picky
So if someone ever asks:
“Hey, what’s the best welding method for modern industry?”
You smile and say:
MIG/MAG, my dude. That horse ain’t pulling anymore – it’s flying.
MIG/MAG – The Workhorse of Modern Welding
MIG/MAG welding is the backbone of today’s industrial metal-joining tech. It’s a method that brings together efficiency, versatility, and ease of use — all in one neat package.
From thin automotive panels, to steel construction frameworks, to massive welds in heavy industry — MIG/MAG handles it all like a champ.
What started in the ’40s as a way to tame aluminum quickly evolved into a system that revolutionized manufacturing. With the development of shielding gases, automation, and a wide range of wire diameters, this method has adapted to just about every scenario — from factory floors to battlefield repairs.
Today, when you look at production lines and robotic arms buzzing away, it’s hard to imagine modern industry without MIG/MAG. It’s truly the workhorse of welding — reliable, fast, and ready to get the job done, no matter what you throw at it.
Did You Know?
MIG/MAG in the military – battlefield welding for tanks and gear
During conflicts from Vietnam to Iraq to Afghanistan, armies (especially the U.S. and NATO) used mobile field workshops equipped with – yep, you guessed it – MIG/MAG welders.
Why?
Because tanks, APCs, and other gear get wrecked – and they need fixing fast, sometimes right on the frontline.
Fun facts:
- CO₂ was used as shielding gas – easy to store, great for field conditions
- Often combined with flux-cored wire (FCAW) – doesn’t need a gas tank → perfect for quick, remote repairs
- Special “combat welders” were trained – as vital as mechanics or drivers. Without them? That gear’s out of action.
This wasn’t a movie plot. This was real, gritty, frontline tech life.
MIG/MAG – not just industrial. It’s also the battlefield lifeline.