Welding Screens: Different Types and Features to Consider

Metalworking is the single most common industry in which welding plays a fundamental role, especially when it comes to building structures that last. As a step of the fabrication process that takes place when joining pieces of metal at a large scale, the quality of the weld can make a big difference in the overall quality of the final product.

As essential as magnetic clamps are during the whole process, welding also adds to the versatility of the workpiece as well as towards the cost-effectiveness of the process. And, as it happens, you just can’t make a durable and strong tool or component without relying on protective welding screens that suit your project’s requirements.

What to Look for?

Colour

The colour of a welding screen determines its protection and clarity, and a red screen is a popular solution for many welders nowadays, not just because of its colour.

Red welding screens provide a balance between solid protection and solid clarity as they offer a bit of both, but don’t excel at either.

Green screens are able to provide better protection with minimal visible light coming through, which makes them less usable for monitoring. 

Yellow screens are the exact opposite, as they offer the best level of clarity, making them ideal for indoor applications. They’re just not good for long hours of welding.

Matte green screens are best for when you need direct supervision and thus they’re mainly placed between two booths to separate the two.

Material

There are mainly two options you can go for when it comes to the welding screen material and those are polycarbonate and acrylic.

Polycarbonate screens are the most popular as they are able to withstand impacts and offer more than enough visibility.

Acrylic screens are good too, however, they don’t offer as clear of a view as polycarbonate, nor are they as protective.

Safety Standards

While there is no specific standard regarding welding curtains and screens in Australia, manufacturers should follow AS/NZS 3957 safety standards for weld flashing protection.

Size

Depending on the area you want to be able to safely work in, you should consider the actual width and height of your welding screen. Make sure to measure the area you want to protect before making your purchase.

Weld Cameras

Used together with opaque screens, weld cameras have become an additional safety measure that helps keep UV exposure and sparks from causing health issues. However, this does make for a costlier solution than just going for screens.

Types of Welding Screens

Curtains

A welding screen comes in many forms and welding curtains are the most commonly used ones nowadays. They’re made to provide coverage for larger work areas and to stay there for a long time, making them ideal as more permanent solutions. Some welding curtains are considered semi-portable, but are still not ideal when it comes to moving them from one place to another.

Booth

Booth screens are made to be used for production or high-amperage welding. That’s because they come as semi-enclosed and multi-panel solutions, which offer the largest amount of containment possible with a welding screen.

Folding

If you want a versatile screen in terms of how you can store it and how easily you can set it up in various environments, the folding design is the most adequate for small garages, workshops and even mobile welding.

Portable

If your welding location changes on a daily or weekly basis, you should definitely consider getting a portable screen. It comes with caster wheels to make it easy to move around, however, it’s not foldable, meaning you can’t stash it aside when you don’t need it at a certain location.

Common Care Practices

Inspect

One of the most important factors that affects both the longevity and state of your screen is the regular inspection of it. There shouldn’t be any tears, fading or burns and if there are any, you should look to replace the screen, as otherwise it poses a health risk. This is why it’s best to go for screens that let you replace the protective material alone instead of the whole frame.

Clean

In the same way you clean your work area and tools, you should do the same with your welding screens. Make sure to use a mild detergent together with a soft cloth and avoid any abrasive chemicals and harsh cleaning cloths.

Store

No matter the welding screen material or its colour, you should keep it in a shaded and dry area in order to retain its protective properties for as long as possible. This way, you also prevent the screen from being unnecessarily exposed to UV light, sparks and fumes.

Replace

Replacing components is crucial for the longevity of a screen. This is why you should keep an eye on the curtain, frame and even wheels (if any) for excessive wear. If there is too much of it, you should obviously replace said parts.