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A Beginners’ Guide: GTAW Welding Techniques and Tips

Any welder should know GTAW welding techniques and tips to ensure a good weld. Here is a guide on TIG welding for beginners to make the process quick and safe for everyone.

GTAW welding techniques and tips

Before the GTAW welding process starts, all grease, oil, dirt, rust andGtaw welding techniques other contaminants should be removed from the areas to be welded. You can do this by the use of liquid or vapor cleansers of by mechanical means. Striking the arc can be done by momentarily touching the electrode to the work and quickly withdrawing it; using a apparatus to cause a spark to jump from the electrode to the work; and using an apparatus that initiates and maintains a small pilot arc, giving an ionized path for the main arc.

GTAW Welding: High Frequency Arc Stabilizers

High frequency arc stabilizers are needed when alternating current is used. They give the kind of arc starting described above. High frequency arc initiation occurs when a high-voltage, high-frequency signal is superimposed on the welding circuit. High voltage ionizes the shielding gas between the work piece and electrode, making the gas conducive so it initiates the arc. Inert gases are not conducive until they are ionized. For DC welding, the high frequency voltage is cut off after arc initiation. With AC welding, however, it mostly remains on during the welding, especially when welding aluminum.

GTAW Welding: Operating Variables

Briefly summarized, for TIG welding for beginners, the major welding process operating variables are: welding current, voltage, and power source characteristics; electrode composition, shape and current carrying capacity; shielding gas (welding-grade helium, argon or mixtures of both); filler metals that are generally the same to the metal being joined and suitable for the intended service

GTAW Welding: Techniques and Tips

1. Check the recommended gas flow based on the selected nozzle and the metal size. Adjust the gas welding machine to the suggested kind of amperage and current for the welding process being performed.

2. Turn the welder on and locate the foot control. Place the control in an area that is most comfortable. Press the foot control and strike the arc. Check your TIG welding manual for more information.

3. Once a puddle is formed, add the filler rod to the leading edge. To reduce chances of contaminating the tungsten, move the TIG welding torch to the back of the puddle once the filler rod is added.

4. Clean all metal surfaces and joints to be welded with a mechanical (grinding, scraping or bruising with a wire brush) or chemical process. Take note that the wire brush should be made of the same material as the material being welded (except for aluminum which can be cleaned using a stainless steel brush. Chemical solvents range from harsh chemicals like acetone and the light cleaning properties of alcohol.

5. Know the metal size. Except for aluminum and magnesium, the welding process should not be used with metals over 1/4 inch. Metals that are under 3/16 inch may not require edge prep. Metals that have a thickness of more than 3/16 inches require machined or ground edges to help bead penetration.

GTAW Welding: How to Stop Welding

Welding is stopped by shutting the current off with foot-or-hand controlled switches that allow the welder to start, adjust, and stop the welding current. They also allow the welder to control the welding current to get good fusion and penetration. TIG welding can also be stopped by quickly withdrawing the electrode from the current, although this can disturb the gas shielding and expose the weld pool and tungsten to oxidation. Shielding gas has to stay on for several seconds to keep the molten puddle, filler rod ad tungsten electrode from being contaminated.

GTAW Welding: Filler Metals

In the TIG welding process, the base metal thickness and joint design determine whether or not the filler metal has to be added to the joints. If the filler metal is added during manual welding, it is applied by feeding the welding rod manually into the pool of molten metal ahead of the arc, but to one side of the center line.

Knowing the right GTAW welding techniques and tips is important before you start your project. However, this can be too confusing for those who have little to no experience. In this case, you should be better off hiring a certified welder and allow him to do the job for you. Aside from ensuring a safe and effective welding job, you should have the peace of mind that the end results are of high quality, one that will last for a very long time.

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TIG Welding: Tips To Properly Weld Sheet Metal

DCWI_logo1-300x151TIG welding has so many applications; one of the most common is in the aviation and airline industries. In such work, TIG welders usually use weld sheet metal. If you are welding sheet metal for aircraft applications, or for any other that you can think of, consider the following TIG welding tips to ensure that you get the high quality work that is needed.

Just Follow These Simple TIG Welding Tips

Follow rule of thumb – To estimate required heat output, use the rule 1 amp per 1 thousandths inch of carbon steel thickness. Stainless steel and other nickel-based metals need less heat because nickel is a poor heat conductor. For magnesium and aluminum, which are excellent conductors, increase heat output slightly.

Chill out – Use copper chill bats with argon ports. Both the copper and gas draw heat away from the weld area. While it’s okay to use a copper shoe attached to a steel structure, make sure you configure the bar so the copper touches the well-meant. Take care that you do not put copper in direct content with cobalt allows as this may cause issues in high-temperature applications.

Cover your backside – When welding sheet metal, treat most applications like titanium. Titanium always needs shielding the backside of the weld to prevent oxidation. In thin applications, shielding gas on the backside of the weld reduces heat output. It also improves weld quality by eliminating metal surface imperfections that could potentially be a source of cracking high fatigue applications.

Love the back-step – The standard practice in TIG welding involves pushing the weld puddle in one continuous direction for the entire length of the weld. With back-stepping, the welder breaks up the seam in parts to dissipate the heat. Do not confuse the back-step method, which is a planned series of steps along a single joint with the randomness of skip welding.

Super size it – Other sheet metal applications usually require a size #7 TIG cup. For welding sheet metal in aerospace applications, #15 cup or larger is required. A large cup gives better gas coverage of the weld puddle and heat affected zone, which reduces total heat input and improving bead quality. It should also improve bead appearance.

Lens crafter – Always use a TIG torch with a gas lens. The lens smoothens the gas flow and prevents turbulence, which widens the area of gas coverage. If needed, it allows increased electrode extension beyond the cup. Extending the electrode will allow it to reach into the corners and give better visibility of the weld area.

Mind The Gap  Of  Your TIG Welding

– To do maintenance on some parts, you should cut them to gain access and re-weld the part while maintaining the original dimensions of the part. All parts shrink when welded, so make sure that you plan ahead. Good fixturing, R&D work and experience can give an indication of how to pre-gap a part before welding.

To the point – Electricity likes to come off a point. Nothing focuses an arc more than needle-sharp tungsten. Sharp tungsten directs the heat where you want it. Also, you do not weld with contaminated tungsten; it is a recipe for rework. Having a standard on lanthenated electrodes for all your applications should help.

Always Look For Extensive TIG Welding Experience

If you are looking to get TIG welding done for aerospace application, or for whatever industry, but you have limited TIG welding experience, it would be best that you contact a certified welding company to do it for you.

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What Techniques Are Used In TIG Welding A Root Pass?

Many jobs, like nuclear work, piping and consumer goods, require at least the root pass, or the first weld in the pipe joint, to be done with the process of TIG welding, or tungsten inert gas welding. Root passes use weld filler material to close the root space between the weld faces, and are particularly useful when only one side of the weld is accessible. Follow tips regarding shielding gas, welding preparation and weld techniques make TIG welding your root pass successful.orb002-300x200

Back-Purging Techniques

Purge the weld zone with argon at about 40 cubic feet per hour. Without adequate shielding, welding defects like incomplete penetration, root pass cracking, root pass suck-back and lack of fusion can occur. There are two common methods for back purging a pipe root pass weld zone: purging the whole volume of a long pipe run or locally purging the immediate volume around the weld zone. A ratio of about 4:1 between the back flow purge rate and the welding torch flow rate is needed to make a sound root pass weld.
 

Welding Preparation

Preparation of the pipe ends is very important in root pass welding. Clean the pipes to bright, shiny metal for a distance of about 1 inch form the weld preparation edge, then thoroughly clean and degrease the whole area. Also, you need to get the proper fit of the pipes that you are welding. The root gap should be at least 1/32 inches larger than the diameter of filler wire being used to weld. This will allow for the manipulation of filler wire even if some closure occurs during welding.

Tack Welding

Tack welding is necessary to ensure that the pipes do not move during closure welding. Make sufficiently large tack welds and put them often enough around the diameter of the joint so that the filler is smaller in diameter than the root gap. Grinding the tack welds to a feather edge may be helpful. It may prevent small defects that can be detected during radiographic examination from occurring when you make the closure weld.

Closure Welding

When closure welding, keep the joint sealed except in areas being welded. Maintain gas purge pressure for the first two passes to ensure that the root pass will not be tremendously oxidized during subsequent weld passes. Move your torch in a continuous motion from sidewall to sidewall, adding filler wire where the joint as not been tack-welded. Position the filler metal in the root gap opening. This will reduce the possibility of the root gap closing up, limiting weld reinforcement at the root.

While you can very well do all of these techniques and tricks on your own, it would be better that you hire a certified welding company to do the job for you, especially if you have little experience with TIG welding as well as root pass welding. This way, you are assured that you are getting the best possible TIG welding service and products, all for your own convenience and safety.

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What Are the Advantages Of TIG Welding?

Otherwise known as gas tungsten arc welding or GTAW, tungsten inert gas or TIG welding is a popular welding method where a tungsten electrode, a ceramic cup and inert gas are used to weld metal together. TIG welding offers advantages in terms of amperage and versatility as it uses less energy than other welding methods. A clean weld can be achieved by making a low-profile weld bead, leaving no slag after the welding process is complete. construction-857143_640-300x214Perhaps the biggest advantage of TIG welding is its control, both in terms of the current and the electrode itself.

Advantages Of TIG Welding

Compared to other welding methods, TIG welding utilizes less amperage. This might seem like a disadvantage at first, but it really helps the TIG welder. When a torch uses a high amperage amount, it is great for thick and large metal bars, but not so good with thin pieces of metal. With a low-amperage torch, the TIG welder can work on thin pieces of metal and all the other kinds of metals that cannot take on high amperages.

TIG welding is considered to be more versatile than the other welding methods. A big part of this is because its lower amperage and foot mechanism allows the welder to change amperage. A welder can go from working on thin pieces of metal to working on thick ones, welding intricate designs together without leaving obvious welding marks. The TIG welder is small, almost similar to a pen, which allows welders to use it for practically any kind of purpose. The inert gas used allows it to work on various metals. Helium is best for copper and stainless steel, argon is best for titanium and steel, and helium and argon combination is best for aluminum and allows that include aluminum.

TIG Welding Leaves A Clean Finished

Some welding methods leave slag once they are finished, so that the finished product looks sloppy. This will also waste time as the welder will have to clean away the slag to make their product or welding job presentable. TIG welding is very clean and will leave no slag at all, so the welder can concentrate on welding instead of cleaning up the metal.

Perhaps the most frequently cited advantage of TIG welding is its control. Amperage and heat are precisely controlled and changed using a foot mechanism. The welding mechanism in itself is pen-like and very thin. So, even when dexterity is needed, the welder will still have superior wedding control. This helps produce high quality welding work, particularly when there are intricate designs and curves in the base metal.

Look For Best TIG Welding Company

When looking to get a welding job done, make sure that you choose the best possible person or company in the business. If you are asking for referrals from acquaintances, it is highly recommended to not stop once you get the name of a company. Do some sleuthing on your own and research the company online. Browse through their workmanship and read reviews from their customers. These should tell you if a TIG welding company is worth shelling out money for.

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TIG Welding – Considered The Best

TIG weldingTIG welding might be a slow process but it most definitely is a very versatile one. Among all the other welding processes, it just might be the only one that is able to handle the most variety of materials, even those that are heavy-alloyed and toxic. TIG welding is also best for thin materials, thanks to its low heat input which prevents burn-through. And as if all these are not good enough, this welding process yields the highest quality welding, no matter what application.

Just because TIG welding yields the most positive results, it does necessarily mean that you can simply rely on your training and practice. Patience and efficiency are just as important as well. Below are some tips to help you improve these.

Tips To Improve More Your TIG Welding

Use An Inverter

The use of an inverter power source greatly improves your efficiency in TIG welding, providing you with a smooth arc for a consistent welding performance. Through this, the focus of the arc is narrowed, creating a narrower weld bead and minimizing the heat-affected zone. Thus, you are able to complete the welding job at a faster speed. Inverters also have a balance control feature, something that is very useful when working with aluminium. This will also allow you to finish the job faster.

Choose The Right Torch

The right TIG torch will help you have an efficient welding job. First of all, you need to select a torch that has good insulation. Also determine whether you will need a TIG torch that is water or air-cooled. Water-cooled are best for applications over 200 amps while air-cooled is used for low amps. Finally, consider what you will weld. If you will work for something that will require you to do some manoeuvring, it would be best to pick a TIG welding torch that has a flexible neck.

Protect Yourself

If it is at all possible, use gas lens as they will improve shielding gas coverage as well as offer you better joint accessibility (which should greatly improve your TIG welding efficiency. These lenses evenly distributes gas to help in the prevention of oxygen contamination as well as allow you to properly work in those heard-to-reach areas like the “K”, “T” and “Y” joints.

Avoid Overwelding

Over welding will greatly improve your efficiency in TIG welding and (probably more importantly) help you save on cash. This occurs when you put more weld metal in a particular joint then necessary because of a number of factors. To prevent this, you need to ensure that the joints of your welding project are not over-designed. Close fit-up and proper joint preparation are your best defences against over welding.

Get To The Point

The type of tungsten that you will use will depend on your power source and material to be weld. The type and shape of the tungsten can have a big impact on your TIG welding efficiency. For DC and AC welding (with an inverter), a pointed or truncated tip is best. For lower amperage on thin materials, grind the tungsten to a point. On the other hand, grinding the tungsten to a truncated tip will be best of higher amp applications.

Go To Dans Certified Welding For Any TIG Welding Needs

Remember that no TIG welding (or any welding operation for that matter) job yields a perfect result. However, if you want one that is near perfect, contact. With thirty years of experience under our belt, we have been creating the highest quality parts for a variety of technologies. We have been a Boeing approved supplier for more than three decades so we should be able to take on any TIG welding job with the best quality results.

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TIG Welding: Its Definition, Benefits and Process

TIG weldingWhat Is TIG Welding?

TIG welding, or Tungsten Inert Gas welding, makes use of a tungsten electrode to heat the metal to be welded and gas to protect the weld puddle from airborne contaminants. A TIG weld produces clean and precise welds on any metal.

Benefits of TIG Welding

•             Welds more alloys and metals than other processes — The TIG welding process can be used to weld bronze, brass, copper, magnesium, nickel alloys, aluminum, chromoly, stainless steel, steel, and even gold. TIG is a useful process in welding fenders, door handles, lawn mowers, bike frames, wagons, and more.

•             Create clean and high quality welds — With superior arc and weld puddle control, this process can create clean welds when looks count. Since its head input is mostly controlled by pressing a foot pedal, just like driving a car, this process allow you to heat up and cool down the weld puddle to give precise weld bead control. This has made TIG ideal for cosmetic welds like automotive and sculptures.

•             No spatter or sparks — Since only the needed amount of filter is added into the welding puddle, there are no sparks or spatter produces, particularly if the metal welded is clean.

•             No slag or flux — The Argon gas protects the weld puddle from contamination so there is no flux used or needed in TIG welding equipment. There is also no slag that will block the view on the weld puddle. Further, the finished weld does not have slag to remove in between weld passes.

•             No fumes or smoke — TIG welding will not create fumes or smoke, unless its welded base metal has elements or contaminants like zinc, lead, paint, grease or oil. The base metal has to be cleaned prior to welding.

•             One shielding gas is used in all applications — Since Argon may be used to TIG weld all metals of varying thicknesses, you will only need a single type of gas in your shop for all of your TIG welding techniques.

•             Weld in all positions — TIG welding can be done in all positions — overhead, vertical, horizontal, or flat. It is perfect for roll cages as well as inside confined areas.

How to TIG Weld

1.            Make sure that you have the TIG welding machine and all the necessary equipment needed, including clothing. This includes insulating gloves and body protection, welding helmet, safety glasses, and protective clothing.

2.            Hold the TIG torch at an angle of about 70 to 80 degrees. Raise the torch so that the tungsten is off of the work piece, but no more than ¼ inch. Make sure that the tungsten does not touch the work piece or it will contaminate your material and you will then have to regrind your tungsten.

3.            Practice in controlling the heat with the foot pedal and see the weld puddle increase and decrease. Ideally, the weld puddle has to be about ¼ inch wide. Keep the size consistent so it does not narrow, spread, shrink or grow while you are welding.

4.            Hold the filler metal in your other hand at a 15-degree angle from your work piece. Heat up the base metal and dab the filler into the puddle. Dab quickly so you do not leave big deposits.

Choose A Certified TIG Welding Company For Headache Free Tomorrow

If you are looking to get a TIG welding job done, contact a certified welding company to ensure efficient and high quality welds.

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5 Helpful Tips to Improve Your TIG Welding Skills

TIG Welding – The Most Versatile Welding Process

TIG welding is versatile process of welding. However, its biggest drawback is that it is generally a slow process. dan's certified gtaw weldingIt’s a good thing that there are some tips to help you complete a quality TIG welding skills in the soonest time possible.

TIG welding might be a slow process but it most definitely is a very versatile one. Among all the other welding processes, it just might be the only one that is able to handle the most variety of materials, even those that are heavy-alloyed and toxic. TIG welding is also best for thin materials, thanks to its low heat input which prevents burn-troughs. And as if all these are not good enough, this welding process yields the highest quality welding, no matter what application.

Just because TIG welding yields the most positive results, it does necessarily mean that you can simply rely on your training and practice. Patience and efficiency are just as important as well. Below are some tips to help you improve these.

How To Improve Your TIG Welding Skills

Use An Inverter

The use of an inverter power source greatly improves your efficiency in TIG welding, providing you with a smooth arc for a consistent welding performance. Through this, the focus of the arc is narrowed, creating a narrower weld bead and minimizing the heat-affected zone. Thus, you are able to complete the welding job at a faster speed. Inverters also have a balance control feature, something that is very useful when working with aluminum. This will also allow you to finish the job faster.

Choose The Right Torch

The right TIG torch will help you have an efficient welding job. First of all, you need to select a torch that has good insulation. Also determine whether you will need a TIG torch that is water or air-cooled. Water-cooled are best for applications over 200 amps while air-cooled is used for low amps. Finally, consider what you will weld. If you will work for something that will require you to do some maneuvering, it would be best to pick a TIG welding torch that has a flexible neck.

Protect Yourself

If it is at all possible, use gas lens as they will improve shielding gas coverage as well as offer you better joint accessibility (which should greatly improve your TIG welding efficiency. These lenses evenly distributes gas to help in the prevention of oxygen contamination as well as allow you to properly work in those heard-to-reach areas like the “K”, “T” and “Y” joints.

Avoid Over-welding

Over welding will greatly improve your efficiency in TIG welding and (probably more importantly) help you save on cash. This occurs when you put more weld metal in a particular joint then necessary because of a number of factors. To prevent this, you need to ensure that the joints of your welding project are not over-designed. Close fit-up and proper joint preparation are your best defences against over welding.

Get To The Point

The type of tungsten that you will use will depend on your power source and material to be weld. The type and shape of the tungsten can have a big impact on your TIG welding efficiency. For DC and AC welding (with an inverter), a pointed or truncated tip is best. For lower amperage on thin materials, grind the tungsten to a point. On the other hand, grinding the tungsten to a truncated tip will be best of higher amp applications.

Contact Us For Fast and Quality TIG Welding Job

Remember that no TIG welding (or any welding operation for that matter) job yields a perfect result. However, if you want one that is near perfect, contact us. With thirty years of experience under our belt, we have been creating the highest quality parts for a variety of technologies. We have been a Boeing approved supplier for more than three decades so we should be able to take on any TIG welding job with the best quality results.

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TIG welding

5 Helpful Tips to Improve Your TIG Welding Skills

 TIG welding is versatile

Aluminum WeldTIG welding might be a slow process but it most definitely is a very versatile one. Among all the other welding processes, it just might be the only one that is able to handle the most variety of materials, even those that are heavy-alloyed and toxic. TIG welding is also best for thin materials, thanks to its low heat input which prevents burn-throughs. And as if all these are not good enough, this welding process yields the highest quality welding, no matter what application.

Just because TIG welding yields the most positive results, it does necessarily mean that you can simply rely on your training and practice. Patience and efficiency are just as important as well. Below are some tips to help you improve these.

Use an inverter during TIG welding

The use of an inverter power source greatly improves your efficiency in TIG welding, providing you with a smooth arc for a consistent welding performance. Through this, the focus of the arc is narrowed, creating a narrower weld bead and minimizing the heat-affected zone. Thus, you are able to complete the welding job at a faster speed. Inverters also have a balance control feature, something that is very useful when working with aluminum. This will also allow you to finish the job faster.

Choose the right torch

The right TIG torch will help you have an efficient welding job. First of all, you need to select a torch that has good insulation. Also determine whether you will need a TIG torch that is water or air-cooled. Water-cooled are best for applications over 200 amps while air-cooled is used for low amps. Finally, consider what you will weld. If you will work for something that will require you to do some maneuvering, it would be best to pick a TIG welding torch that has a flexible neck.

Protect yourself

If it is at all possible, use gas lens as they will improve shielding gas coverage as well as offer you better joint accessibility (which should greatly improve your TIG welding efficiency. These lenses evenly distributes gas to help in the prevention of oxygen contamination as well as allow you to properly work in those heard-to-reach areas like the “K”, “T” and “Y” joints.

Avoid overwelding

Overwelding will greatly improve your efficiency in TIG welding and (probably more importantly) help you save on cash. This occurs when you put more weld metal in a particular joint then necessary because of a number of factors. To prevent this, you need to ensure that the joints of your welding project are not over-designed. Close fit-up and proper joint preparation are your best defenses against overwelding.

Get to the point

The type of tungsten that you will use will depend on your power source and material to be weld. The type and shape of the tungsten can have a big impact on your TIG welding efficiency. For DC and AC welding (with an inverter), a pointed or truncated tip is best. For lower amperage on thin materials, grind the tungsten to a point. On the other hand, grinding the tungsten to a truncated tip will be best of higher amp applications.

Remember that no TIG welding (or any welding operation for that matter) job yields a perfect result. However, if you want one that is near perfect, contact. With thirty years of experience under our belt, we have been creating the highest quality parts for a variety of technologies. We have been a Boeing approved supplier for more than three decades so we should be able to take on any TIG welding job with the best quality results.

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