What is another name for MIG welding?

• A. Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
• B. Metal Inert Arc Welding
• C. Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
• D. Flux-Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)

Answer: (A)

The concept here is naming of welding processes. MIG welding is the same process as Gas Metal Arc Welding. It uses a continuous solid wire electrode fed through a gun and shielding gas to protect the weld pool, with the arc occurring between the wire and the workpiece. The formal designation GMAW highlights both the use of a gas shielding method and the metal arc welding process, while the common term MIG is just the trade name.

Why this is the best answer: Gas Metal Arc Welding accurately describes the method used in MIG—the shielding gas and the metal arc with a continuously fed wire. The other options refer to different concepts: TIG welding (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) uses a tungsten electrode and typically no filler metal in the arc, and Flux-Cored Arc Welding uses a flux-filled wire rather than a separate shielding gas. The idea that MIG stands for Metal Inert Gas isn’t universally correct because the shielding gas can be inert or active depending on the weld.