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https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/job-knowledge/tungsten-inert-gas-tig-or-gta-welding-006

Summary:

Overall this article goes through the main topics when getting started on Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. From what is required such as shielding gas to how to get set up machine wise.

Reflection:

The article firstly provides a brief overall description of what it is such as how using shielding gas protects the weld pool. The following topic is what type of power source is necessary depending of what welding application will be done. For example aluminum will require alternating current but other metals will work with direct current. The reader is then provided with what type of non consumable electrodes will be needed and how to prepare them. Lastly shielding gas is also a very key part because without such welding process wouldn’t be possible. Many different mixtures are listed with each having information of what their main purpose would be.

TWI. “What is Tungsten Inert Gas (GTAW or TIG) Welding?” TWI Global, 1995, https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/job-knowledge/tungsten-inert-gas-tig-or-gta-welding-006. Accessed 11 December 2024.

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Job Knowledge 6

Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding became an overnight success in the 1940s for joining magnesium and aluminium. Using an inert gas shield instead of a slag to protect the weldpool, the process was a highly attractive replacement for gas and manual metal arc welding. TIG has played a major role in the acceptance of aluminium for high quality welding and structural applications.

Process characteristics

In the TIG welding process the arc is formed between a pointed tungsten electrode and the workpiece in an inert atmosphere of argon or helium. The small intense arc provided by the pointed electrode is ideal for high quality and precision welding. Because the electrode is not consumed during welding, the TIG welder does not have to balance the heat input from the arc as the metal is deposited from the melting electrode. When filler metal is required, it must be added separately to the weldpool.

Power source

TIG welding must be operated with a drooping, constant current power source - either DC or AC. A constant current power source is essential to avoid excessively high currents being drawn when the electrode is short-circuited on to the workpiece surface. This could happen either deliberately during arc starting or inadvertently during welding. If, as in MIG welding, a flat characteristic power source is used, any contact with the workpiece surface would damage the electrode tip or fuse the electrode to the workpiece surface. In DC, because arc heat is distributed approximately one-third at the cathode (negative) and two-thirds at the anode (positive), the electrode is always negative polarity to prevent overheating and melting. However, the alternative power source connection of DC electrode positive polarity has the advantage in that when the cathode is on the workpiece, the surface is cleaned of oxide contamination. For this reason, AC is used when welding materials with a tenacious surface oxide film, such as aluminium.

Arc starting

The welding arc can be started by scratching the surface, forming a short-circuit. It is only when the short-circuit is broken that the main welding current will flow. However, there is a risk that the electrode may stick to the surface and cause a tungsten inclusion in the weld. This risk can be minimised using the 'lift arc' technique where the short-circuit is formed at a very low current level. The most common way of starting the TIG arc is to use HF (High Frequency). HF consists of high voltage sparks of several thousand volts which last for a few microseconds. The HF sparks will cause the electrode - workpiece gap to break down or ionise. Once an electron/ion cloud is formed, current can flow from the power source.
Note: As HF generates abnormally high electromagnetic emission (EM), welders should be aware that its use can cause interference especially in electronic equipment. As EM emission can be airborne, like radio waves, or transmittedalong power cables, care must be taken to avoid interference with control systems and instruments in the vicinity of welding.
HF is also important in stabilising the AC arc; in AC, electrode polarity is reversed at a frequency of about 50 times per second, causing the arc to be extinguished at each polarity change. To ensure that the arc is reignited at each reversal of polarity, HF sparks are generated across the electrode/workpiece gap to coincide with the beginning of each half-cycle.

Electrodes

Electrodes for DC welding are normally pure tungsten with 1 to 4% thoria to improve arc ignition. Alternative additives are lanthanum oxide and cerium oxide which are claimed to give superior performance (arc starting and lower electrode consumption). It is important to select the correct electrode diameter and tip angle for the level of welding current. As a rule, the lower the current the smaller the electrode diameter and tip angle. In AC welding, as the electrode will be operating at a much higher temperature, tungsten with a zirconia addition is used to reduce electrode erosion. It should be noted that because of the large amount of heat generated at the electrode, it is difficult to maintain a pointed tip and the end of the electrode assumes a spherical or 'ball' profile.

Shielding gas

Shielding gas is selected according to the material being welded. The following guidelines may help:

Argon - the most commonly-used shielding gas which can be used for welding a wide range of materials including steels, stainless steel, aluminium and titanium.

Argon + 2 to 5% H2 - the addition of hydrogen to argon will make the gas slightly reducing, assisting the production of cleaner-looking welds without surface oxidation. As the arc is hotter and more constricted, itpermits higher welding speeds. Disadvantages include risk of hydrogen cracking in carbon steels and weld metal porosity in aluminium alloys.

Helium and helium/argon mixtures - adding helium to argon will raise the temperature of the arc. This promotes higher welding speeds and deeper weld penetration. Disadvantages of using helium or a helium/argon mixtureis the high cost of gas and difficulty in starting the arc.

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What is Tungsten Inert Gas (GTAW or TIG) Welding?

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Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding became an overnight success in the 1940s for joining magnesium and aluminium. Using an inert gas shield instead of a slag to protect the weldpool, the process was a highly attractive replacement for gas and manual metal arc welding.

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https://primeweld.com/blogs/news/the-evolution-of-tig-welding?srsltid=AfmBOopTdSfD4vBRF32C-SeUGn1gC8DQoYn9mo6cRua505keOLOjeDxk

Summary:

This article provides a very detailed history about how it all began. It also provides the reader with the necessary information to understand how this welding process developed over the years.

Reflection:

The article quickly provides the year GTAW was firstly introduced by the creator known as Russell Meredith. It goes on to state that the main reason for this new welding process is because before it many metals couldn’t be welded with other methods. To this day GTAW is widely used to join different metals together and the full control a welder have over it allows for many projects to be done as desired.

Prime Weld. “The History of Tig Welding.” Prime Weld, https://primeweld.com/blogs/news/the-evolution-of-tig-welding?srsltid=AfmBOopTdSfD4vBRF32C-SeUGn1gC8DQoYn9mo6cRua505keOLOjeDxk. Accessed 11 December 2024.

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Learn more about how the Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welder has evolved over the years. Get TIG welding information & more with PrimeWeld.

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Summary:

This article comes directly from Miller a well known company within the welding community. They make welders and provide other necessary equipment. Being able to read tips directly from them will be far more beneficial as they know everything. The articles goes into details such as angles to use and other small details.

Reflection:

I have personally used this article and put these techniques into practice. On of the main issues for starting welders is the angle they do when traveling. The articles provided images to better understand how certain angles can make a big difference. They also provide tips such as getting as comfortable as possible and doing dry runs to see if you will actually reach the end of the weld or if you will need to re position yourself.

“TIG Welding Tips for Beginner and Intermediate Welders | MillerWelds.” Miller Welding, 10 September 2018, https://www.millerwelds.com/resources/article-library/welding-tips-the-secret-to-success-when-tig-welding. Accessed 11 December 2024.

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TIG frequently asked questions

Just about everyone who tries TIG welding feels challenged at first. This is understandable, given all the things you have to watch for and think about, while simultaneously coordinating the motion of both hands. In most cases, a foot pedal or torch-mounted amperage control will be used - for starting, modulating and stopping the flow of current. I have coached many people as they learn these skills, and I have received my share of questions over the years. Here are a few frequently asked questions - and answers - that should be helpful, particularly for beginning and intermediate welders.

How does the TIG welding process work?

All welding requires the application of heat, which melts the metal being welded. With the TIG process, the heat comes from an electric arc that streams between the electrode in a hand-held torch and the metal being welded. The arc and molten metal are shielded by an inert gas, which protects the electrode and base metal from oxidizing. Filler rod is usually added to the puddle of molten metal as the weld progresses. The essence of making a good weld is heat control, which is governed by how you modulate the arc as it streams from the torch. Let's look at this in detail.

The arc is shaped like a cone, with the tip at the electrode and the base on the metal being welded. The closer the electrode is held to the metal, the smaller the base of the cone - but as you pull the electrode farther away, the base (and puddle) gets larger. If the puddle gets too large, gravity will simply pull it away from the base metal, leaving a hole. This is why thin-gauge metals are especially challenging for beginners.

What are the best TIG welding techniques?

Perhaps the most important skill needed for TIG welding is moving the torch in a controlled manner, with steady forward movement, while keeping the gap between the tip of the electrode and the base metal consistently small - usually in the range of 1/8 inch to 3/16 inch. It requires a lot of practice to precisely control the arc length, keeping it as short as you can without allowing the electrode to touch the base metal or filler rod.

Should the electrode accidentally touch the metal or the filler, the electrode often becomes contaminated - meaning some of the rod or base metal gets stuck to it. Once the electrode is contaminated, the arc cone becomes misshapen, making it difficult or impossible to aim the arc with precision, and the boiling contaminants on the electrode may spit out impurities, further compounding your problems.

The angle between the torch and the base metal is important, too. You need to angle the torch slightly to see the puddle, and provide access for the filler rod. A 15-degree angle is a good starting place, although some welders prefer a bit more or less. If you hold the torch at 45 degrees (or more), you're losing a lot of the coverage from shielding gas, and the flatter angle will make the puddle longer than it is wide. For the record, the torch is tipped with the electrode pointing forward, in the direction of motion.

The "work" angle of the torch is also important. With a butt weld, the torch is normally at 90 degrees to the metal, as viewed from the end of the joint.

For making a fillet weld, where the pieces being joined are perpendicular, the work angle is usually 45 degrees, although you may need to modify this sometimes - like when joining metals of different thickness.

As you can see, there's a lot going on as you are making a weld, and the key is controlling the angle, movement and distance of the torch in relation to the base metal. This requires making constant, minute adjustments with your torch hand. Simultaneously, the hand that feeds the rod has to move in concert, adding precisely the right amount of filler metal, deposited at the leading edge of the moving puddle, while always keeping the tip of the rod inside the small envelope of shielding gas - whew!

What are the best TIG welding tips and tricks?

Here are five tips that can help you attain this fine level of control.

1. Make sure everything is 'squeaky' clean.

TIG welding is not tolerant of any contaminants. Be sure to clean your base metal with a good degreaser, BEFORE you scrub it with a dedicated wire brush . D o not use the same brush on different kinds of metal. Wipe the filler rod down with degreaser, too.

Whenever possible, I like to be seated when I'm welding. Even in situations where sitting isn't possible, any little adjustments to my stance or body position that make me more comfortable will have a noticeable effect on the weld.

3. Look for ways to support your hands.

Having good support for your hands or arms is crucial for moving the torch with precise control. I do my best welding when the base of my hands or my wrists is supported in some way. Often you can rest your wrists on the part being welded. I keep an assortment of wood and metal blocks near my welding bench, and I often can get better support by positioning a block to rest my torch hand on. There are occasions where I rest my forearms, or even my elbows, on something for support. Many welders set up special support bars, positioned parallel to the joint being welded, and they slide their torch hand along the bar to help follow the joint with fine control. For some out-of-position work, I've had to rely on resting only my shoulder on something, and while not ideal, it's better than having no support at all. Even placing my hip against something stationary can offer a bit of support, but I can't weld very well when standing 'free,' with no support at all.

This may sound silly, but you'll find that many professional welders do this before every pass. Get in the most comfortable position you can, with support blocks in place if helpful, and run your hands along the path they will traverse as you make the weld. You will often find that a slight adjustment of your position will allow you to make a longer pass, or to move your hands with less stress. Any strain in your position will have a negative impact on the weld. Also, you build valuable muscle memory when making your practice run, which will help keep everything on track when you make the 'real' pass.

5. Clean a contaminated electrode immediately!

Every welder will contaminate their electrode at some point, but it's essential that you replace a contaminated electrode immediately. I usually keep a group of pre-sharpened electrodes right on my welding bench, so I can swap them out without having to walk to my grinder.

I believe if you put these tips to use, you will very likely see an improvement in your TIG welds!

Want to access more TIG training materials? Check out these TIG welding guides.

About Ron Covell

Ron Covell is a talented welder and metalworker in the automotive industry. Covell is a contributor for Hot Rod Network, where he has a popular column titled, "Professor Hammer's Metalworking Tips." He also owns Covell Creative Metalworking, offers instructional metalworking DVDs and hosts workshops around the country.

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TIG Welding Tips for Beginner and Intermediate Welders | MillerWelds

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Learn TIG welding tips, best practices, and tricks of the trade for beginning and intermediate welders from metalworker Ron Covell.

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https://norsemensafety.co.uk/5-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-tig-welding/#:~:text=It%20offers%20numerous%20advantages%20of,compared%20to%20other%20welding%20methods.

Summary:

In this article it clearly states both the good and bad of GTAW. This is important so people can have a clear understanding if this is something they would want to use for their applications or not.

Reflection:

This articles provides the main benefits such as high quality and clean welds achievable with such processes. Although it states that the disadvantages would be the high cost to operate these welding machines. It also takes quite a while to become fully familiar with GTAW. Overall the article allows us to understand that there is always a cost for a highly beneficial welding process.

NORSEMEN. “5 Advantages And Disadvantages Of TIG Welding? | Welders Choice.” Norsemen Safety, https://norsemensafety.co.uk/5-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-tig-welding/. Accessed 12 December 2024.

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5 Advantages And Disadvantages Of TIG Welding? | Welders Choice

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what are the 5 Advantages And Disadvantages Of TIG Welding? This article will explain it exactly, as well as compare it to other welding practices.

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Summary:

Aerospace plays a big role in our daily lives but it can only be achieved when these manufacturing companies select GTAW to build airplanes. The article explains why GTAW is selected over other processes and how they benefit from it.

Reflection:

The main idea in this article is that high quality welds is the most important requirement in aerospace. When manufacturing airplanes people have to follow a certain code in order for everything to come out correct. For that reason they detail how the ability to weld different metals together is highly beneficial in the aerospace industry.

AMI. “TIG Welding in Aerospace: Meeting the Demands of the World’s Most Precise Industry.” Arc Machines, 08 July 2022, https://resources.arcmachines.com/. Accessed 11 December 2024.

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The history of TIG welding in aerospace begins with Russell Meredith of Northrop Aircraft Corporation developing the process in the 1940s to facilitate aluminum and magnesium alloy welding. Since then, TIG welding has expanded to almost every manufacturing industry. The welding process has evolved to incorporate advanced technologies that make enhanced precision and control possible. Likewise, the standards for TIG welding in the aerospace industry have also matured.

And as every fabrication process in aerospace manufacturing affects human safety, engineers, designers, and welders alike must focus on adhering to and exceeding TIG welding standards.

What Is Quality in Aerospace Fabrication?

When considering aerospace fabrication, essential qualities like speed, precision, and efficiency are particularly important. Enhancing these attributes while maintaining quality control standards enables vehicles to perform at extreme elevations while remaining safe and reliable. Manufacturers in the aerospace industry have embraced technological innovations to expand their understanding of material use, fabrication, and maintenance.

Aerospace manufacturing is unique because components encounter high temperature, pressure, and stress conditions. As a result, manufacturers turn to materials like aluminum, titanium, Inconel, high-strength steels, and superalloys to meet the high-temperature demands of their aerospace components.

In addition to meeting material requirements, manufacturers must also adhere to aerospace industry welding specifications. These specifications include:

Achieving Quality With TIG Welding in Aerospace

Aerospace welding can include wide-ranging materials with different temperature and strength requirements. To retain the metal's microstructural properties, controlled and optimizable heat input is required. While multiple welding processes may be used, TIG is most commonly preferred.

To better ensure safety in aerospace welding, manufacturers can employ a TIG welding process with advantages like corrosion protection, enhanced cleanliness, and mechanical strength. Additional benefits include:

Proper shielding with inert gas for clean welds that are free of inclusions.

Controlled heat input to minimize distortion, retain toughness, and reduce sensitization to corrosion-resistant metals.

A process compatible with a wide range of materials.

Controlled amperage to facilitate the creation of smooth weld surfaces.

Complex joints that can be welded in any position.

The TIG process is slow, however. And when performed manually, weld precision can suffer. This presents a significant challenge in aerospace manufacturing, where larger pieces must be assembled with strict quality control. Orbital welding provides an ideal solution.

Orbital Welding Overcomes Aerospace Challenges

In large-scale aerospace manufacturing, orbital welding equipment can facilitate automated control, monitoring, and optimization. All TIG welding parameters can be controlled and optimized: from weld head oscillation, feed rate, and travel speed to heat input. Likewise, operators can monitor the weld process with the help of a remote pendant, enabling enhanced precision, improved productivity, and higher quality. And with automation, high-quality results can be reproduced consistently and reliably.

For large-scale precision in the aerospace industry, orbital TIG welding matches materials with the ideal weld parameters to produce high-quality welds without compromising strength and quality. By integrating the automation, precision, control, and cleanliness of the orbital process with TIG welding, manufacturers can meet and exceed the stringent aerospace quality control guidelines and minimize failure risks.

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Engineering Department | Arc Machines, Inc.

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TIG Welding in Aerospace: Meeting the Demands of the World's Most Precise Industry - Arc Machines

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The aerospace industry must ensure stringent quality standards. Learn how orbital and TIG welding in aerospace can help manufacturers meet their quality and productivity demands.

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https://tigbrush.com/blog/various-types-of-welding-joints-and-their-uses/

Summary:

In this article basic information such as different weld joints created when two metals are put together are described. A brief description of how a weld joint is used is also provided.

Reflection:

Once again this is one of the articles that provides lots of knowledges for upcoming welders. Knowing how and why a weld joint will be used is highly beneficial to gain the proper experience. Knowing how each joint also has its own different combinations can be confusing at first but it is highly important in order to apply it at a job site.

Their Uses.” TIG Brush, 7 October 2021, https://tigbrush.com/blog/various-types-of-welding-joints-and-their-uses/. Accessed 12 December 2024.

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Various Types of Welding Joints and Their Uses

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TIG Brush has put together a list of the various types of welding joints, their best uses, and important tips for using them. Read more about it here.

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Summary:

This article talks about the future of GTAW in robotics. Within the articles people make the statement that having a robot do GTAW isn’t the brightest idea someone can have.

Reflection:

This article is very important because many people have a fear that robots could possibly take their jobs. Although that isn’t the case for GTAW welding process because it doesn’t seem to be as effective as a human welder. As stated in other articles GTAW requires lots of skill and experience. If a robot makes a mistake when doing production welding then they wouldn’t notice. For that reason the article explains and provides examples as to why GTAW is one of the welding processes not being picked to be used by a robot.

The Fabricator. “Robotic GTAW or GMAW: No longer a clear-cut choice.” The Fabricator, 2009, https://www.thefabricator.com/thefabricator/article/arcwelding/robotic-gtaw-or-gmaw-no-longer-a-clear-cut-choice. Accessed 11 December 2024.

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Robotic GTAW or GMAW: No longer a clear-cut choice

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Gas tungsten arc welding is easier than ever to automate. At the same time, robotic GMAW technology now can produce welds that are close to GTAW quality

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Summary:

Safety is a key aspect of welding for that reason this article states the dangers and how to prevent them in job site. From what shade of darkness to gas related risk are all important considerations when GTAW.

Reflection:

This article should be read by everyone interested in welding in order to be properly informed of all dangers. Picking out the correct darkness level is highly important in order to protect your eyes. As stated in the article, the higher the welding amps the higher your level of darkness should go. Another key risk mentioned is not having proper ventilation. Whether at school or at a job site proper ventilation should always be applied in order to protect yourself and others from welding fumes.

Axxair. “TIG welding in complete safety.” Axxair, https://www.axxair.com/en/blog/tig-welding-in-complete-safety. Accessed 11 December 2024.

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The procedure of TIG welding comes with certain risks for the welder that have to be met with precaution, especially those that are not necessarily visible at first glance