TIG Welding Introduction
Compiled by S. Padmanabhan
Outline
Background Advantages Safety Preparation
and Disadvantages
for TIG Welding Techniques for Basic Weld Joints TIG Shielding Gases Welding Parameters Tungsten Electrode Selection Conclusion
TIG WELDING 2
Background
What Also In
is TIG?
Tungsten Inert Gas
referred to as GTAW
Gas Shielded Tungsten Welding
TIG welding, a tungsten electrode heats the metal you are welding and gas (most typically Argon) protects the weld from airborne contaminants
TIG WELDING 3
Background
TIG
welding uses a non-consumable tungsten Filler metal, when required, is added by hand Shielding gas protects the weld and tungsten
TIG WELDING
Advantages
Welds
more metals and metal alloys than any other process High quality and precision Pin point control Aesthetic weld beads No sparks or spatter No flux or slag No smoke or fumes
TIG WELDING 5
Disadvantages
Lower filler metal deposition rates Good hand-eye coordination a required skill Brighter UV rays than other processes Slower travel speeds than other processes Equipment costs tend to be higher than other processes
6
TIG WELDING
Safety
Electric
shock can kill.
Always wear dry insulating gloves Insulate yourself from work and ground Do not touch live electrical parts Keep all panels and covers securely in place
Fumes
health.
and gases can be hazardous to your
Keep your head out of the fumes Ventilate area, or use breathing device
TIG WELDING 7
Safety
Welding
can cause fire or explosion.
Do not weld near flammable material Watch for fire; keep extinguisher nearby Do not locate unit over combustible surfaces Do not weld on closed containers
Arc
rays can burn eyes and skin; Noise can damage hearing.
Wear welding helmet with correct shade of filter Wear correct eye, ear, and body protection
TIG WELDING 8
Safety
Hot
parts can cause injury.
Allow cooling period before touching welded metal Wear protective gloves and clothing
Magnetic
fields from high currents can affect pacemaker operation. Flying metal can injure eyes.
Welding, chipping, wire brushing, and grinding cause sparks and flying metal; wear approved safety glasses with side shields
TIG WELDING 9
Safety
Welding
vehicles.
current can damage electronic parts in
Disconnect both battery cables before welding on a vehicle Place work clamp as close to the weld as possible
TIG WELDING
10
Preparation for TIG Welding
Basic preparations should be made before establishing an arc, including base metal prep, set up of the machine and its controls Picture on right shows front panel of a typical AC/DC machine designed for TIG welding (L-TEC HELIARC 306) Control functions of the L-TEC HELIARC 306 are named in the following slides, but the manual should be consulted for more detail Not all power sources will have all the features or controls of this machine
TIG WELDING 11
Preparation for TIG Welding
Control Functions
A: Power On-Off Switch B: Tig-Stick Mode Switch C: Remote Contactor Receptacle D: Current Selector Switch E: Current Range Selector Switch F: Current Control Potentiometer G: Current Panel-Remote Switch and Remote Current Control Receptacle H: Post Flow Control I: High Frequency Selector Switch J: High Frequency Intensity Control
TIG WELDING 12
Preparation for TIG Welding
Control Functions
K: Gas and Water Torch Connections L: Soft Start Switch M: Arc Force Potentiometer N: Slope/Spotweld Control Module O: AC/DC Analog Meter Module P: Panel Mounted Pulse Control R: Balance Control Feature S: Front Panel 3-Amps Fuse T: Rear Panel Auxiliary 115V Receptacle
TIG WELDING 13
Preparation for TIG Welding
Preparing the Weld Joint
Many
problems are a direct result of using improper methods to prepare the weld joint One of the most common is the improper use of grinding wheels Soft materials like aluminum may get embedded with abrasive particles resulting in excessive porosity Grinding wheels should be cleaned and dedicated only to the material being welded
TIG WELDING 14
Preparation for TIG Welding
Cleaning
Oil, grease, shop dirt, paint, marking crayon, and rust or corrosion deposits must be removed from the joint and metal surfaces to a distance beyond the heat affected zone Their presence may lead to arc instability and contaminated welds
TIG WELDING
15
Preparation for TIG Welding
Preparing Aluminum for Welding
Very
susceptible to contaminants Surface oxide must be removed Special abrasive wheels are available for aluminum Stainless steel wire brushes recommended Both sides of the joint should be cleaned if it contains foreign material
TIG WELDING 16
Preparation for TIG Welding
Preparing Stainless Steel for Welding
Should
be thoroughly cleaned Foreign material may cause porosity in welds and carburetion of the surface which decreases the corrosion resistance Stainless steel wire brushes recommended
TIG WELDING
17
Preparation for TIG Welding
Preparing Titanium for Welding
Essential
that weld area and filler metal be cleaned Mill scale, oil, grease, dirt, grinding dust, and any other contamination must be removed If titanium is scale free, only degreasing required Joint should be brushed with stainless steel wire brush and degreased with acetone Be cautious of fine titanium dust particles as they are flammable
TIG WELDING 18
Preparation for TIG Welding
Preparing Mild Steel for Welding
Should
be mechanically cleaned Scale, rust, paint, oil, grease, or any surface contaminants should be removed
TIG WELDING
19
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
Arc Length
Arc
length normally one electrode diameter, when AC welding with a balled end electrode When DC welding with a pointed electrode, arc length may be much less than electrode diameter
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
20
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
Gas Cup Size
Inside
diameter of gas cup should be at least three times the tungsten diameter to provide adequate shielding gas coverage Picture on right shows example of gas cup size and torch position
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
1-Workpiece, 2-Work clamp, 3-Torch, 4-Filler rod, 5-Gas cup, 6-Tungsten electrode
21
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
Electrode Extension
Refers
to distance the tungsten extends out beyond the gas cup May vary from flush with the gas cup to no more than the inside diameter of the gas cup Longer the extension, the more likely it may contact something by accident General rule would be to start with an extension of one electrode diameter
TIG WELDING 22
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
Arc Starting with High Frequency
Torch position on left shows recommended method of starting the arc with high frequency when the torch is held manually By resting gas cup on base metal there is little danger of touching the electrode to the work After arc is initiated, torch can be raised to proper welding angle
23
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
Manual Torch Movement
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
24
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
Manual Torch Movement
Torch
and filler rod must be moved progressively and smoothly so the weld pool, the hot filler rod end, and the solidifying weld are not exposed to air that will contaminate the weld metal area or heat affected zone When arc is turned off, postflow of shielding gas should shield the weld pool, electrode, and hot end of the filler rod
TIG WELDING 25
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
Butt Weld and Stringer Bead
Be
sure to center weld pool on adjoining edges When finishing a butt weld, torch angle may be decreased to aid in filling the crater
Torch and rod position for welding the butt weld and stringer bead TIG WELDING 26
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
Lap Joint
Pool is formed so that the edge of the overlapping piece and the flat surface of the second piece flow together Torch angle is important because the edge will become molten before the flat surface Enough filler metal must be added to fill the joint as illustrated on the right
Torch and rod position for welding the lap joint
TIG WELDING 27
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
T-Joint
Edge will heat up and melt sooner Torch angle illustrated will direct more heat onto the flat surface Electrode may need to be extended further beyond the cup in order to hold a short arc
Torch and rod position for welding the T-joint
TIG WELDING 28
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
Techniques for Basic Weld Joints
Corner Joint
Both
edges of the adjoining pieces should be melted and the pool kept on the joint centerline Sufficient filler metal is necessary to create a convex bead as shown
Torch and rod position for welding the corner joint
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
29
TIG Shielding Gases
Argon Helium Argon/Helium
Mixtures
TIG WELDING
30
TIG Shielding Gases
Argon
Good arc starting Good cleaning action Good arc stability Focused arc cone Lower arc voltages 10-30 CFH flow rates
Helium
TIG WELDING
Faster travel speeds Increased penetration Difficult arc starting Less cleaning action Less low amp stability Flared arc cone Higher arc voltages Higher flow rates (2x) Higher cost than argon
31
TIG Shielding Gases
Argon/Helium Mixtures
Improved travel speeds over pure argon Improved penetration over pure argon Cleaning properties closer to pure argon Improved arc starting over pure helium Improved arc stability over pure helium Arc cone shape more focused than pure helium Arc voltages between pure argon and pure helium Higher flow rates than pure argon Costs higher than pure argon
TIG WELDING
32
Welding Parameters
Aluminum weld parameters
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
33
Welding Parameters
Aluminum with advanced squarewave weld parameters
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
34
Welding Parameters
Stainless steel weld parameters
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
35
Welding Parameters
Titanium weld parameters
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
36
Welding Parameters
Mild steel weld parameters
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from TIG Handbook
37
Tungsten Electrode Selection
Guide to selecting a tungsten electrode based on amperage range
TIG WELDING
*Figure copied from Guidelines to Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
38
Conclusion
TIG welding is an exciting skill that proves itself useful in countless applications Because it welds more metal and metal alloys than any other process, TIG welding should be regarded as an important tool where experience is the teacher Welding parameters and tungsten electrode selection tables are recommended values and should be used as a guideline Information presented here is only the tip of the iceberg, and further research and hands-on involvement should be pursued to be comprehensive
TIG WELDING
39
References
Gas tungsten arc welding. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_tungsten_arc_welding. 19 February 2008. Guidelines to Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). Miller Electric Mfg Co. July 2003. Installation and Operating Instructions for HELIARC 306 Welding Power Supply. L-TEC Welding and Cutting Systems. January 1988. TIG Handbook. Miller Electric Mfg Co. July 2003. TIG Welding. American Metallurgical Consultants. http://www.weldingengineer.com/1tig.htm. 18 October 2007. TIG Welding Tips. Miller Electric Mfg Co. http://www.millerwelds.com/education/tech_tips/TIG_tips. 29 January 2008.
TIG WELDING 40
