Gas Tungsten Arc Welding

Introduction:
Tungsten Inert Gas Welding or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding is a arc welding process in which
the source of heat is an electric arc, is established between the non consumable tungsten
electrode and the part to be welded .The arc zone is filled with an inert gas to protect the
tungsten electrode and the molten metal from oxidation. The inert gas also acts as a
conducting medium for the arc current. Welding can be carried out with or without addition
of filler metal. The need to add of filler metal depends upon the thickness and type of the
joint.

The rate of adding filler metal is independent of the arc energy.

But the maximum rate of filler wire addition is limited by the arc energy also.

History of Process Development

GTAW process was first developed in the year of 1940 and it was used successfully for
Welding stainless steel and magnesium thin gauge sheets by using D.C. power source.
In 1946, Aluminum was also successfully welded by using AC power source. Since that time
the GTAW process has been refined and has been used to weld almost all metals and alloys.

Equipment Requirement

1. Welding power source with high frequency unit

2. GTAW Torch with tungsten electrode.
3. Supply of inert gas.
Electrodes for GTAW Process

Pure Tungsten electrode (EWP)

 This electrode is identified by green colour band.

 The purity level of pure tungsten electrode is 99.5%.

 It has lower current carrying capacity than the alloyed tungsten electrode, and has low
resistance to contamination. Pure tungsten is least expensive.

Thoriated Tungsten Electrode (EwTh-1, and EwTh-2)

 These electrodes are identified by the colour bands as detailed below

 1% thoriated tungsten electrode --Yellow

 2% thoriated tungsten electrode – Red

 0.4% thoriated tungsten electrode - Blue

 Tungsten electrode containing 1 or 2% thoria have greater electron emissive property

than pure tungsten electrode. Therefore greater current carrying capacity and longer life.

 Arc starting is easier and arc is more stable which helps to make them more resistance to
contamination from the base metal.

Zirconiated Tungsten Electrode (Ew zr)

 This electrode is identify by brown colour band.

 It has a properties between those of pure tungsten and thoriated tungsten electrode
regarding arc starting and current carrying capacity.
 High resistance to contamination. It remains the balled end during welding.
Shielding gases

Shielding gas provides the suitable ionizing atmosphere for the arc and protects the weld
pool from air contamination. Inert gases argon and helium are used for TIG welding.

COMPARISON OF SHIELDING GASES

GAS ATOMI DENSITY ARC GAS FLOW HEAT SUITABILITY COST

C WT % OF AIR VOLTAGE RATE INPUT
Argon 40 130 1 time 10-12 LPM Low Thin metals 1 time

Heliu 4 13 1.7 time 25-35 LPM High Thick metals 3 times

m

Argon

 Low arc voltage: This results in less heat. Hence suitable for manual welding of thickness
less than 1.5mm.
 Good cleaning action: Preferred for metals with refractory oxide skin and ferrous alloys
containing high percentage of aluminum.
 Easy arc starting: Important for welding thin metals and welding in vertical and over head
position.

Helium:

 High arc voltage: This results in better arc. Favorable for welding thick metals with high
heat conductivity.
 Small heat affected zone: With high heat input and greater welding speeds HAZ can be
kept narrow. Deeper penetration is possible.

Minimum purity requirements of argon

Argon % O2 ppm max N2 ppm max H ppm max Co2 ppm Moisture
max Mg/litre
99.967 10 300 5 5 0.005
Gas mixtures used in GTAW

In tungsten arc welding the physical characteristics of the gas, like conductivity, ionization
and dissociation, influence the arc geometry and heating efficiency. The composition of the
gases which determines these physical characteristics will be arrived after a close study is
made on their behavior with the parent material.

Gas or Gas mixture Application

Almost all materials

Argon 99.5% pure
Stainless steel,Nickel and Nickel alloys
Argon+5%H2(occasionally upto 15%H2)
Aluminum alloys
Argon+Helium(75%Ar+25%He)
Almost all material
Helium 99.99%

Argon + Nitrogen(85%Ar+15%N2) Copper and some of the copper alloys

 In stainless steel welding with Ar+H2 shielding gas, the hydrogen helps increasing the arc
heating efficiency, and also reducing the amount of oxides formed with stainless steels.

 In the case of GTA welding of aluminum, if a gas shield containing hydrogen would be
unsuitable, because a high percentage of hydrogen would be dissolved in the molten
aluminum and gets trapped giving rise to porosity.
POWER SOURCE

 Direct current power source. (Constant current type)

 Alternative current power source

DC POWER SOURCE WITH HIGH FREQUENCY UNIT

 Suitable for welding almost all metals and alloys (Except aluminum and its alloys) in
DCEN mode.

 Magnesium and its alloys can be welded by DCEP mode.

AC POWER SOURCE WITH HIGH FREQUENCY UNIT

 Best suitable for welding aluminum and its alloys and other ferrous alloys containing high
percentage of aluminum.

 Magnesium and its alloys.

 Some copper alloys.

TORCHES

 Gas cooled torches The heat developed in the tungsten electrode is transferred to the inert
gas while it flow through the gas passage in the torch .

 Water cooled torches: Designed for continuous duty cycle with higher current. In this
torch cooling takes place by the water circulation arrangement in the torch.
High Frequency Unit

 High Frequency Unit is needed to initiate the arc in GTA welding when DC is used. Once
the arc is struck the HF super imposition would be cut-off

 In the case of AC used in GTA welding, HF super imposition is required continuously to

strike the arc at every off cycle

DC Suppressor is connected in series in the output to improve arc stability.

APPLICABILITY

 Where high quality weld is very much required.

 Welding root process on Carbon and low alloy steel piping.

 Welding reactive and refractory metals such as Titanium, Zirconium and Columbium by
multi pass GTA welding.

 Suitable process for welding thin sheets and foils.

 Root pass welding in pressure application parts and critical areas.

ADVANTAGES

 Very high quality weld can be made

 Very thin foils can be welded
 Filler metal addition is independent of the arc current.
 No spatter

LIMITATIONS

 Low filler metal deposition

 Requires greater skill
 More costly when compared to other arc welding processes
 DEVELOPEMENT IN GTAW

Many developments have been established in GTA welding field. A few of them are stated
here:

 Pulsed GTAW
 Hot wire GTAW
 Orbital GTAW

PULSED GTAW

In this process the current is modulated in the form of pulses. The magnitude of the current
oscillates between high level (Peak current ) and low level (background current). The
magnitudes of these levels and pulsing time can be controlled.

The molten weld pool can be manipulated against fluidity during background current period
results in low heat input and defect free weld. There is no need of weaving because the
pulsed current is sufficient to melt the required base metal.

Pulsed arc GTA welding is not as fast as the GTAW because of the travel speed is
synchronized to the pulsed frequency.

Applications:

 To do root run on tubes and pipes

 Welding thin plates & foils and the critical areas.

ORBITAL TIG

 Orbital GTAW machine is developed for circumferential seam welding of pipes and
tubes automatically.

 Pulsed current power source with programmed control for position welding such as flat,
vertical up, vertical down and overhead is enables to make the process automatic.

HOT WIRE GTAW

 Hot wire GTAW is a developed process over the conventional GTAW process.

 Here, the equipment and the welding sequence are the same as conventional GTAW, but
the filler wire is pre-heated either by resistance or induction heating before reaching the
arc zone.

 For proper fusion the electrical circuit should always be completed i.e. the feed wire
should always be in contact with the weld puddle.

APPLICATIONS AND ADVANTAGES

 Radiography quality welds can be obtained at a higher deposition rate. The rate can be
varied by adjusting the heating current.

 Higher deposition at a lower dilution level is the main characteristics of the hot wire
process. Hence this can be used as a major tool for surfacing applications.

 Hot wire technique gives an increasing production rate by 3 to 4 times.

 GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING.

INTRODUCTION

POWER SOURCE

APPLICATION

- ADVANTAGES
- LIMITATIONS

PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION

ELECTRODES

SHELDING GASES

PROCESS APPLICATIONS

DEVELOPEMEMTS IN GTAW
 PROCESS APPLICATIONS

SHIELDING POWER ELECTRODE BACKING

MOC GAS SOURCE& TYPE GAS
POLARITY

Carbon steel Argon DCEN EWTH-2 NO NEED

EWTH-2 NITROGEN OR
Low alloy steel Argon DCEN ARGON
Argon or EWP OR
Aluminum & its 75%Ar+25%H AC OR DCEP EWZR ARGON
alloys e
Argon or NITROGEN OR
Stainless steels Ar+5%H2 DCEN EWTH-2 ARGON
Argon or
Nickel & its Ar+5%H2 DCEN EWTH-2 ARGON
alloys

Copper & its Argon or DCEN EWTH-2 NITROGEN OR

alloys Ar+15%N2 ARGON
Argon or EWP OR
Magnesium & 75%Ar+25%H AC OR DCEP EWZR ARGON
its alloys e

Reactive metals
like titanium, Argon DCEN EWTH-2 ARGON
zirconium &
columbium

Notes:

1) Helium can be substituted instead of argon, if the base metal thickness is higher, for
welding overhead positions and for automatic welding.