weld cladding

Weld Overlay (WOL), also known as cladding, hardfacing, weld cladding, or weld overlay cladding, is a process where one or more metals are joined together via welding to the surface of a base metal as a layer. This is normally done to improve the material by adding either a corrosion resistant or hardfacing layer to it. Surfaces prepared in this way can even be highly customized by layering and alloying multiple different materials together

There exist several different methods for weld overlay, each with their own unique applications and uses. Deciding on a specific technique is dependant on the access, welding position, alloy type, and dissolution rate of the component along with one's own economic situation. The main methods of weld overlay are: shielded metal arc welding, CO2 welding, Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding/Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding, Submerged arc welding, and Plasma Transferred Arc (PTA) welding