Developments in Tig Welding

1.
DEVELOPMENTS IN TIG WELDING
INTRODUCTION:
TIG welding is a quality welding process associated with low welding speed
and less metal deposition. There have been many developments in the TIG
welding either to increase the welding speed or to imporve the quality of
welding and its reliability. They are i.
Pulsed TIG welding
ii. Hot wire TIG welding

iii. TIG spot welding
iv. Magnetic arc control TIG welding
v. Multi-electrode TIG welding
vi. Special automatic TIG system.
2.
PULSED TIG WELDING:
2.1
PROCESS:
This is a modification of the continuous current TIG welding in order to

achieve a good control of the heat input. Here, the current which is
modulated, has the form of square pulses having predetermined duration
(Fig. 1). The magnitude of the current oscillating between a high level and a
low level, the ON time and the OFF time are adjusted by having an electronic
programmer. When the current is maintained at the high (ON) position,
welding takes place. This high value is chosen for the required penetration.
During the low (OFF) period, the operator has enough time to manipulate
the torch. The electrode is kept sufficiently hot and the ionised column is
also retained so that the arc is not extinguished. The weld bead is in the
shape of over-lapping nuggets having a regular pitch.
2.2
ADVANTAGES OF PULSED TIG WELDING:
1. Reproducible, high quality welds with constant and deep penetration.

Compared with a steady arc, the pulsed arc increases the penetration with
less heat input to the joint. Too low a pulse frequency causes non uniform
penetration.
2. The pulsed arc agitates the molten weld metal and thus minimises
porosity.
3. Pulsing produces arc stiffness, thus avoiding arc wander.
1
4. The molten weld pool can be very well manipulated against fluidity by
virtue of the pulsed arc.
5. Successive solidification of the nuggets restrict crack propagation.
6. Increased rate of solidification of the weldment reduces the risk of hot
cracking.
7. The controlled rate of concentrated heat input minimises the possibility of
burn through.
8. Lesser heat input improves the grain structure and the mechanical
properties of the weld.
9. There is no need of weaving because the pulsed current is sufficient to
melt the required base metal area.
2.3 LIMITATIONS OF PULSED TIG WELDING:
Since the travel speed is synchronised to the pulsed frequency, pulsed arc
TIG welding is not as fast as continuous current TIG welding.
The individual molten metal pool starts solidifying from the periphery
towards the centre, thus, the central portion becoming more prone to defects
like segregation and shrinkage cracks. This again depends upon the
composition of the material to be welded.
2.4 APPLICATION:
Pulsed TIG welding is suitable for the root run of tubes and pipes. Welding
of thin plates and foils is another application. This process is also used in the
fabrication involving all position welding (due to better molten pool control).
3.0
HOT WIRE TIG WELDING:
3.1
PROCESS:
Hot wire TIG welding is a development over the conventional TIG welding
process. Here, the equipment and the welding sequence are the same as
in the ordinary TIG welding but for the heating of the filler wire prior to
deposition. The filler wire is heated either by resistance heating or by
induction heating. In the case of resistance heating, since the filler wire
melting is mainly due to IR heating, for proper fusion, the electrical circuit
should always be completed i.e. the feed wire should always be in contact
2
with the weld puddle. The contact tube is positioned such that the wire
enters the arc zone at a steep angle (about 45 with respect to work piece)
to ensure good electrical contact with the workpiece. (Fig.2).
3.2
ADVANTAGES AND
APPLICATIONS:
By this process, X-ray quality welds can be obtained at a higher deposition

rate. This rate can be varied by adjusting the wire heating current. Higher
deposition at a lower dilution level is the main characteristic of the hot wire
process. Hence, this can be used as a major tool for surfacing application.
Due to preheating, the volatile surface contaminants of the filler wire get
evaporated resulting in total elimination of entrapped hydrogen, porosities
etc.
Even for applications which do not call for higher deposition, the versatility of
the hot wire technique can be realised with increased welding speed. This
process can be profitably used to butt weld thick pipes. Hot wire technique
gives an increase in production rate by 3 to 4 times as compared to
conventional TIG welding.
4.
TIG SPOT WELDING:
4.1
PROCESS:
In this, spots are produced by TIG welding process

with a slight
modification. This process is quite versatile and can be made to produce
excellent quality spot welds. Argon shielding (3 to 5 lpm) is used. If
necessary, the other side of the weld is also shielded with Argon. If required
filler wire can also be added during spot welding.
4.2
PARAMETERS:
The important parameters in spot TIG welding are the current density, time of
passage of current and the arc length. A high current density is used in spot
welding and it produces a magnetic focusing effect on the arc plasma.
When the electrode tip is tapered the effect is stronger. If the angle at the
apex of the taper is too small, molten metal will be expelled and a creator will
be retained in the weld face. If the arc length is too long, the molten weld
pool may overheat and undercut may be produced. If it is too short, the
base metal may expand enough to contact the electrode. This will
contaminate the electrode and cause erratic arc action.
4.3
EQUIPMENT:
3
Electronically controlled wire feeders are employed for the addition of weld
filler metal during the spot welding operation. First the arc is struck, the
metal is heated and a weld pool is formed. Then a precise amount of filler
wire is added. The filler wire is then retracted before the spot weld current
starts the downslope time so that the wire does not get stuck up to the frozen
spot. The configuration of the nozzle is varied to it the contour of the
weldment. Edge-locating devices are normally used to prevent variations in
the distance of the spot weld locations from the edges.
A reduction in the magnitude or time of current flow reduces the penetration
and diameter of the spot weld. In some applications, multiple pulses of
current are preferred to one long sustained pulse. Variations in the shear
strength, nugget diameter and penetration can be minimised with an
accurate timer, an ammeter and a gas flowmeter, and with tungsten
electrodes that have precision - machined tips.
5. MAGNETIC CONTROL OF ARC:

Magnetic control has been thought of as one of the most effective means of
solidification control in automatic welding. This control is effected by
subjecting the arc and /or the weld puddle to a determined level of magnetic
field.
The advantages derived from this control are
i. Overcoming the arc-blow nuisance and increasing the stability of the arc.
ii. By electromagnetic agitation of the molten pool, reduction in the amount
of porosity due to accelerated degasification.
iii. The control of penetration and thereby dilution (in surfacing applications).
iv.
Grain refinement and hence better mechanical properties. The
mechanism proposed for this refinement is solid- liquid interface
fragmentation caused by energy pulses due to the arc vibration.
v. Due to the agitation of the pool and enhanced mixing, reduction in hot
cracking tendency.
vi. By altering the shape and dimensions of the weld pool, improvements in
the appearance of the weld bead.
vii. Undercut free welds even with high welding speeds. This is attributed to
the improved weld pool characteristics caused by forces exerted on the
molten metal in such a manner as to reduce the surface tension and to allow
the metal to flow evenly across the weld crater.
Various types of magnetic fields (produced either by DC or by AC ) used for
magnetic control of arc as follows :
1. Transverse field when a flux of applied field is perpendicular to the
direction of electrode.
2. Parallel field When the flux lines are parallel to direction of electrode
travel.
3. Longitudinal field When the flux lines are parallel to the electrode axis.
Here inpluse current can also be used in addition to AC or DC.
6.
MULTIELECTRODE TIG:
In some application, more than one electrode holder is used. When two
holders are employed, they can be used in tandem on the same side of the
weld, or in line with one another on opposite sides of the weld. In the
tandem technique, the first holder provides preheat to ease the thermal
shock on the base metal and to provide deeper penetration and higher weld
speeds. The opposed torches may be used in a similar manner with the
preheat torch ahead of the other. Individual power sources for each arc are
required for the best control and quality of weld.
There are some developments where in four electrodes are employed. The
first electrode provides the necessary preheat, the second electrode makes
the fusion pass and the last two electrodes, which are provided with filler
metals complete the further passes. By adopting the multi electrode
technique, the speed of the TIG process is increased
7. SPECIAL AUTOMATIC TIG WELDINGSYSTEMS.

To increase the productivity of TIG weldingincreasing the welding speed and
rep@leatabii
of result (quality welding without rejection) lostof automatic special purpose
TIG weldingsystems have been developed for specificapplications. Some of
tfie special purpose
equipments are
a. Orbital tube to tube butt welding TIGsystem.
b. Orbital pipe to pipe butt welding TIGsystem.
c. Orbital tubelpipe to flange welding TIGsystem.
d. Tube to tube sheet welding TIG system.
e. i4uciear End shield welding TIG system etc
Most of the special purpose systems aremodular in construction. The basic
systemconsists of special welding head; precisioncurrent controlled TIG
welding power sourcewith gas pre-purge; current up slope, pulsing,
down slope provision and gas post-purge time;weld sequence programmer
and remotecontrol pandent etc. The special welding headhas minature TIG
Yielding torch and itsrotating arrangement round the joint and mayalso have
minature fitter wire feeding unit.
automatic are length control for TIG torrb andTIG torch oscillation systerri
based on the
need.
Fig.3 shows an orbital TIG welding head withiare voltage control and filler
wire feedingarrangement suitable for tube butt welding,where the main frame
of the head does notrotate round the tube and is commonly kno\oas!' horse
shoe design of orbital head". While,
A
4 shows automatic butt welding of tubes9 an full fuction orbital TIG welding
head1 built in arc voltage control, filler wireling and torch oscillation system)
which@es round the pipe or tube during welding.
i shows automatic TIG welding of tube tosheet of heat exchanger using
anmatic TIG tube to tube sheet weldingiine shown in Fig.6.
Fig.7 shows
yetier design @f tube to tube sheet weldingiine with filler wire addition. A
detailedof this welding head showing TIG weldingand wire feeding
arrangements is shown1.8.
6
atability of quality is the key word whenany automatic orbital TIG welding
ss. Anywhere from a few minutes toai hundred hours can be spent3ping and
refining a particular welddure for specific application. Once theieter of
operation are arrived at to meetiality requirements these are
programedsequence programmer and then systeme used for production
welding.
Anydeviation or collection of minor deviationBiding equipment
performance, jobai, joint preparation and fit up can:iy turn
those
man
hours
ofpments into a total waste of time.
2ggs~ of special purpose automaticTIG welding system vary with
ition. In general, high production rate,igher welding speed, less heat
inputbetter metallurgical properties of weld,,jection rate, due to machine
weldingpeatabfe weld quality are the commonages. In case of high volume
work (like@iding of bigger pipe with higher wallss) total production time is
greatly1 because
system
can
workously for hours with~ gap.
Againystem can be adopted to hazardous or
restricted locations (e.g. repair of nuclearcomponents or orbital welding in

odd position).These system does not require skilled andqualified manual
welder for operation.
Disa Jvantages of special purpose automaticorbital TIG system
are
relatively highequipment cost that requires accurate anddetailed cost
justification. These systems arequite complex and require careful
handlingduring operation and maintenance.
Sooperator must be
trained and experienced onthe equipments. The welding procedure hasto be
developed carefully and it require lot oftime and knowledge on the part of
thepersonnel
involved
for
procedure
7
development. Subsequently during actual

production strict adherence is required
regarding joint preparation (i.e. tolerance onroot gap, lip and bevel angle).
822@cationThe nuclear industry both for new constructionand hazardous
location repair is a prime userof these special purpose orbital TIG
system.Hower these are being used for shipyards,construction of fossile fired
power plants, petrochemical plants, aerospace industry etc.Actually, if the
initial cost of the equipment canbe justified, orbital TIG system is a
candidatefor any application where quality is important,access is limited, or
the availability of skilledand qualified manual welder is low.

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1.

DEVELOPMENTS IN TIG WELDING

Pulsed TIG welding

ii. Hot wire TIG welding

PULSED TIG WELDING:

This is a modification of the continuous current TIG welding in order to

ADVANTAGES OF PULSED TIG WELDING:

1. Reproducible, high quality welds with constant and deep penetration.

HOT WIRE TIG WELDING:

By this process, X-ray quality welds can be obtained at a higher deposition

TIG SPOT WELDING:

In this, spots are produced by TIG welding process

5. MAGNETIC CONTROL OF ARC:

7. SPECIAL AUTOMATIC TIG WELDINGSYSTEMS.

restricted locations (e.g. repair of nuclearcomponents or orbital welding in

development. Subsequently during actual

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