WP17 TORCHES

TECHNICAL FEATURES

An electric arc welding method in an inert atmosphere. It is the most effective, economical processes for the difficult welding of metals such as: stainless steel, aluminium, beryllium, copper, brass, cast iron, nickel, tantalum, titanium, columbio, mobilden, Evendur, Inconel, Monel alloys and cryogenic welding.

The arc, which is formed between the electrode and the base metal, is protected by gas (argon or helium or a mixture of the two gases) coming out of the gun where the electrode protrudes. The arc is ignited by a pilot spark which, causing ionisation of the protective gas, makes it conductive. For the high melting temperature of tungsten, the electrode does not melt and therefore does not take part in the melting process. The filler metal, present if the thickness of the pieces is higher than 1mm, is added into the electric arc area and will form the welding cord when melted. The entire welding area (arc, electrode, molten metal base, filler metal) is immersed in an inert environment consisting of the protective gas. This fact prevents the oxidation of the welded joint by the atmosphere and also allows the welding of reactive materials.

TIG WELDING APPLICATIONS

The TIG process is particularly suitable when small thicknesses of material, starting from a few tenths of a millimetre, are to be welded. However, it is not possible to weld thicknesses over a few mm (2-3 mm for steels) with a single seam (hence, generally, it is not used to weld thicknesses greater than 5-6 mm). Therefore, considering low productivity, it is often used to make the first seam of a joint, while filling is subsequently carried out with higher productivity processes. Given the characteristics of its procedure, it can be used in any position and can be used for continuous or spot welding. It is not advisable to use this procedure in outdoor locations, as even a moderate wind can cause dispersion of the protective gas.