Welding in domestic or industrial environments is a very dangerous operation that requires high skill and safety to the maximum. In particular, we can say that the temperature in the region of the welding arc reaches 6-7 thousand degrees, and the current strength is within 200A.
Welding not only needs to be handled with care, but even looking at the welding process is required in a special way, because. the brightness of the arc exceeds 10 thousand times that which is permissible for the human eye. In this case, a welding mask comes to the rescue.
There are a great many varieties of this welding device, and when choosing a device for protecting your face and eyes, you need to consider the following factors:
- type of welding to work with;
- scope of work;
- welding location(indoor, outdoor);
- presence of harmful substances in the surfaces to be welded (manganese, zinc).
Welding helmets are divided into those with a fixed light filter (standard mask), masks with a lifting type light filter, automatic masks of the Chameleon class and masks that have an air supply under the shield as an additional option.
In domestic welding, a standard welding shield is usually used. It can be used if the volume of operations is small, because. the shield must be held in one hand, the welding machine in the other, which makes it impossible to hold or move the part. Another inexpensive type of mask is the hinged design. A welding helmet of this type is easy to use, durable, but often causes neck problems, because. the mask is lowered over the face with a nod of the head. In addition, the light filter on masks of this class is very dark and the welder does not see anything before the arc starts. TIG welding requires a specific mask configuration, which is different from semi-automatic welding and MMA welding.
A universal welding helmet can have a "Chameleon" light filter, which is a multilayer structure made of polarized film and liquid crystals. It allows you to get the required level of dimming automatically at the very beginning of welding, adjust it to changes in brightness, and also has filters to protect against harmful infrared and ultraviolet radiation. The mask filter is powered by lithium batteries –tablets or from solar panels. This type of welding helmet often has an attractive outer design, reminiscent of a motorcycle racer's or astronaut's helmet.
Creative welders order mask painting in one style or another and flaunt on the job site, for example, with a “head” of a tiger or a robot. The technological appearance is also emphasized by the fact that a number of mask settings (darkening, mask opening delay after the end of the welding process, etc.) can be “dialed” directly on the light filter.
When choosing protective masks, it makes sense to pay attention to the brand, the country of manufacture, the availability of certificates for the filter (to avoid fakes), the warranty period. The selection of a mask must be approached responsibly, because. for a poor-quality product or your own stinginess, you will have to pay for such a precious gift as good eyesight.
