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Titanium 101: Best TIG (GTA) Welding Practices - MillerWelds Page 1 of 20
Titanium 101: Best TIG (GTA)

Welding Practices
This article provides an introduction to titanium, the TIG (or GTA) welding process,
and focuses on best practices and outlines common pitfalls.
Pretty colors are fine for titanium jewelry. However, blue, violet, green, grey and
white colors indicate atmospheric contamination in a GTA welded titanium
component. In critical applications, welds exhibiting such colors may suffer
reduced strength and loss of ductility and could (or must) be rejected.
Responsible fabricators owe it to their customers and themselves to produce

welds that meet standards such as those outlined in AWS D1.9, Structural
Welding Code—Titanium, as well as their own high standards. This article
provides an introduction to titanium, the GTA welding process, focuses on best
practices and outlines common pitfalls. It is especially written with smaller
companies in mind, as they perform the bulk of GTA welding.
About Titanium
Titanium and its alloys offer excellent corrosion resistance to acids, chlorides and
salt; a wide continuous service temperature range, from liquid nitrogen (-322°F) to
1100°F; and the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal.
For example, the most widely used grade of titanium alloy, ASTM Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-
4V), has a yield strength of 120,000 psi and a density of 282 lb/ft3. In
comparison, ASTM A36 steel has a yield strength of 36,000 psi and a density of
487 lb/ft3, while 6061-T6 aluminum has a yield strength of 39,900 psi and
density of 169 lb/ft3.
In short, titanium is about 45 percent lighter than steel, 60 percent heavier than
aluminum and more than three times stronger than either of them. While
expensive initially, titanium lowers life cycle costs because of its long service life
and reduced (or non-existent) maintenance and repair costs. For example, the
Navy replaced copper-nickel with titanium for seawater piping systems on its LDP-
17 San Antonio Class of ships because it expects titanium to last the entire 40 to
50 year life of the ship.
In addition to military applications, other common uses for this light, strong and
corrosion-resistant metal include those for aerospace, marine, chemical plants,
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Shielding Gas Is Critical

Titanium falls into a family of metals called reactive metals, which means that
they have a strong affinity for oxygen. At room temperature, titanium reacts with
oxygen to form titanium dioxide. This passive, impervious coating resists further
interaction with the surrounding atmosphere, and it gives titanium its famous
corrosion resistance. The oxide layer must be removed prior to welding because it
melts at a much higher temperature than the base metal and because the oxide
could enter the molten weld pool, create discontinuities and reduce weld integrity.
When heated, titanium becomes highly reactive and readily combines with oxygen,
nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon to form oxides (titanium’s famous colors actually
come from varying thickness of the oxide layer). Interstitial absorption of these
oxides embrittles the weldment and may render the part useless. For these
reasons, all parts of the heat-affected zone (HAZ) must be shielded from the
atmosphere until the temperature drops below 800°F (note: experts disagree on
the exact temperature, with recommendations ranging from 500°F to 1000°F. Use
800°F as a reasonable median unless procedures, standards or codes indicate
otherwise).
One of the most common mistakes when welding titanium is not verifying the
many variables that contribute to good shielding gas coverage prior to striking the
first arc. Make it a practice to always weld on a test piece before beginning each
“real” welding session. To ensure that gas purity meets your requirements, AWS
recommends using analytical equipment to measure shielding gas purity prior to
welding. Gas purity varies by application. Typical specifications require that the
shielding gas (typically argon) be not less than 99.995 percent purity with not
more than 5 to 20 ppm free oxygen and have a dew point better than –50 to –76°
F.
Clean, Clean, Clean

Contamination from oil on your fingers, lubricants, cutting fluid, paint, dirt and
many other substances also causes embrittlement, and it is a leading cause of
weld failure. When working with titanium, follow the three Cs of welding: clean,
clean, clean! Keep a clean work area, one free from dust, debris and excess air
movement that could interfere with the shielding gas. Clean the base metal and
bag parts not immediately welded, clean the filler rod and wear nitrile gloves when
handling the filler rod and parts.
Welding Advice
ASTM International recognizes 31 grades of titanium. Different grades address
the need for various combinations of mechanical properties, corrosion resistance,
formability, ease of fabrication and weldability. While the various properties of
these grades can be somewhat overwhelming (see the side bar story for brief
explanation), the welding of titanium is relatively similar to other alloy metals.
The following images and advice demonstrate the basic best practices for welding
titanium, expanding on the advice and information given above.
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A standard GTA power source with high

frequency arc starting, remote amperage
control capabilities, a post-flow shielding gas
timer and an output of at least 250 amps will
work well for welding titanium. Set polarity to
DCEN (straight polarity).
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GTA torches can be air- or water-cooled,

depending on equipment preference, as most
welds will be short and at lower output levels.
Water-cooled torches are smaller, more
maneuverable and permit welding at higher
amperages for extended periods, while air-
cooled torches cost less. Notice the home-
fabricated torch holder, which keeps the torch
from falling on the floor.
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For welding titanium use a 2%-ceriated tungsten sized to

carry the required welding current: 1/16-in. or smaller for
welding at <125 amps; 1/16- to 3/32-in. for 125 to 200
amps; and 3/32- or 1/8-in. for welding >200 amps. Use a
gas lens to evenly distribute the gas and create a smooth
gas flow, and use a cup with a diameter of at least 3/4- to
1-in. A larger cup will enable you to make a longer weld.
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A trailing shield such as this one extends the length of the

weldment compared to welding with a cup alone. It is
constructed similarly to the purge blocks (See next
caption. Commercial shields are also available). Notice
that the electrode is extended longer than the normal,
which is only advisable when using trailing shields or
oversized cups, as they provide extended gas coverage.
Normally, the electrode should extend just far enough to
permit visibility and access to the joint, or about 1-1/2
times the diameter of the electrode.
To provide shielding gas coverage on the back and bottom

sides of a joint, most facilities custom-fabricate their own
purge blocks from porous copper sheet and stainless
steel. The porous copper acts like a gas lens, evenly
distributing the gas. To further smooth gas flow, the
blocks are filled with stainless steel wool. Set the gas flow
at 10 cfh for the purge blocks and trailing shield. Use 20
cfh for the torch.
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When awkward joints preclude the use of standard purge

blocks, welders fabricate shielding gas dams or chambers
using stainless steel foil and fiberglass tape. To ensure
purity, a rule of thumb is that the gas must flow long
enough to exchange the gas inside the chamber 10 times
prior to welding.
For demanding applications and where complex

parts need to be welded, consider a vacuum-
assisted welding chamber. This model utilizes a
steel riser with glove ports and features a
hemispherical, Plexiglas dome for viewing. After
loading parts, a vacuum pump quickly removes
the air, and the chamber is then filled with inert
gas for welding.
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This gas manifold system distributes shielding

gas to the torch and all purge blocks using
separate gas lines; notice the use of surgical
grade tubing for quality purposes. Because
moisture content rises as cylinder pressure
drops, consider switching cylinders when the
pressure reaches about 25bar.
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First, select the appropriate filler rod to match

the material grade (see Table 1 above). Then,
use a lint-free cloth and acetone or methyl
ethyl ketone (MEK) to clean the filler rod just
prior to welding (after cleaning, store the
acetone in a safe place prior to welding! Also,
read the manufacturer’s safety precautions).
To prevent the body’s natural oils from
contaminating the filler rod or base metal,
always wear nitrite gloves when handling
titanium.
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To prevent contaminants from entering the weld pool via

the filler rod (notice the discoloration on the end of the
rod), clip off the end of the filler rod before every use.
Store the filler rods in an airtight container when not in
use.
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To break down the oxide layer prior to welding,

use a die grinder with a carbide deburring tool
to prep the edges of the joint. Do not use the
tool for anything else except titanium. Follow
mechanical cleaning by cleaning with a lint-free
cloth and acetone or MEK.
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A carbide file—again dedicated to titanium—may also be

used to prepare the joint. Note the nitrile gloves, which
are worn to prevent contamination. Simply wear welding
gloves on over the nitrile gloves to prevent accidentally
handling clean titanium with bare hands.
To hold the purge blocks in place while welding, consider a fixture/clamp

arrangement like the one shown here. The holes in the welding table allow
weldments and purge blocks to be clamped in a wide variety of positions.
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Notice the variety of stainless steel blocks and shims

used to position and balance the purge blocks. The holes
in the welding table make it much easier to position the
purge blocks, as it permits access for the gas lines from
the bottom side.
Use a stainless steel brush—dedicated for this one purpose—to

remove any impurities (e.g., light oxide coating) that may develop
before continuing to weld. If welds require visual inspection for QA/QC
purposes, omit this step. Note that the bead length is just about 1 in.
Short beads minimize heat input and ensure that the bead won’t
“outrun” its shielding gas coverage.
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After turning off the arc, hold the torch in position so that
the post-flow shielding gas continues to cool the weldment
until its temperature drops below 800°F. Post-flow
duration will vary by the mass of the weldment, size of the
weld and total heat input (post-flow was set at 20 seconds
for the weld shown here).
To keep interpass temperatures below the critical 800°F

threshold, use an infrared temperature gauge. Also, weld
at the lowest amperage level that still produces complete
fusion. Finally, do not travel too quickly, as that is a
leading cause of porosity and weld failure.
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The front and bottom of the weld, which were properly shielded, show
no evidence of contamination. To demonstrate the importance of
shielding all sides of a weldment, the purge block was intentionally
removed from the backside of this fillet weld and two welds
approximately 3/4 – 1 in. were made.
The back of the weld indicates a completely unacceptable

weld. Note the progressive degree of contamination, with
the “chalky dust” showing extreme contamination. The
weld cracked internally with an audible “tink” after cooling
for about 90 seconds. Welds with such contamination may
not be repaired: scrap the entire part or cut out and
completely remove the contaminated section.
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When adding filler rod, be sure the rod end

stays within the shielding gas envelope. Use a
dab technique to lower overall heat input (as
opposed to leaving the rod end in the weld
puddle, which increases the mass of metal
and total heat necessary to metal it).
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a) Discoloration must be removed prior to

additional welding.
b) On the weld and in the HAZ up to 0.03

in. beyond the weld.
c) Violet, blue and green discoloration is

rejectable if additional welding is to be
performed. Blue and green discoloration
is acceptable on finished welds but must
be removed prior to subsequent
processing.
Note: Discoloration comes in various

shades, hues and tones.
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Common Grades of Titanium

Titanium is divided in four classes: commercially pure (CP, or unalloyed), alpha,
alpha-beta and beta. Note that many companies and experts treat CP and alpha
alloys as one group. The “alpha” and “beta” refer to phases of the metal’s
crystalline structure at various temperatures. Adding oxygen, iron, aluminum,
vanadium and other elements to the alloy can precisely control the crystal
structure, and hence the alloy’s properties.
The most common CP grade are ASTM Grades 1, 2, 3 and 4. They differ by the
varying degrees of oxygen and iron content; greater amounts of these elements
increase tensile strength and lower ductility. Grade 2 is the most widely used,
notably in corrosion resist applications. CP Grades have good ductility, good
elevated temperature strengths to 572°F and excellent weldability. They cost less
than alloyed grades, but have a relatively low tensile strength, such as 70,000 to
90,000 psi for Grade 2.
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Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V), an alpha-beta, is the most widely used of any grade of

titanium (50 to 70 percent of all uses, according various sources). The addition of
aluminum and vanadium increases tensile strength to 120,000 psi and service
temperature up to 752°F, but it also makes Grade 5 less formable and slightly
harder to weld than Grade 2. It is used for a range of applications in the
aerospace, marine, power generation and offshore industries.
Grade 23 is similar to Grade 5, but features reduced of oxygen content that

improves ductility and fracture toughness with a just a slight loss of strength.
Grade 9 strengths fall between Grade 4 and Grade 5, so it is sometimes referred
to as a “half 6-4.” Grade 9 can be used at higher temperatures than Grade 4,
offers 20 to 50 percent higher strength than commercially pure gradesS and is
more formable and weldable than Grade 5.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to acknowledge the significant contributions to this article
made by two people. Geoff Ekblaw has more than 40 years of experience (and the
patience to pose for the photos in this article). He is the senior welder at Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI, www.whoi.edu). Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution is a private, independent organization in Falmouth,
Mass., dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education.
Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of
Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the oceans and their interaction
with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the
ocean's role in the changing global environment. WHOI is world-renowned for its
deep-sea submersible vehicle Alvin. Alvin makes extensive use of titanium and is
most famous for its use in exploring the wreck of the Titanic.
Jody Collier is a senior certified welding inspector (SCWI) and

Instructor/Developer, Welding Training/Certification with Delta Air Lines Technical
Operations Center in Atlanta (Delta TechOps; 866-MRO-Delta or
[email protected]). Delta TechOps is the largest airline MRO in North
America, earning more than $312 million in revenue in 2006. In addition to
providing maintenance and engineering support for Delta's fleet of 440 aircraft,
Delta TechOps serves more than 100 aviation and airline customers from around
the world, specializing in high-skill work like engines, components, base and line
maintenance. Delta TechOps employs more than 6,500 maintenance
professionals and is one of the most experienced MRO providers in the world with
more than seven decades of aviation expertise.
Works Consulted
American Welding Society (2007), Structural Welding Code, Titanium (AWS D1.9),
https://www.awspubs.com/
Titanium Metals Corporation (1997), Titanium Design and Fabrication Handbook
for Industrial Applications, http://www.timet.com/pdfs/ti-handbook.pdf
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TWI (The World Centre for Materials Joining Technology) and The Titanium
Information Group (1999), Welding Titanium, A Designers and Users Handbook,
http://www.twi.co.uk/j32k/protected/pdfs/bpweldti.pdf [Visitors must register to
download this file]
Donachie, Jr., Matthew (2000), Titanium, A Technical Guide, ASM International,

http://asmcommunity.asminternational.org/portal/site/asm/
Kobelco, http://www.kobelco.co.jp/english/titan/files/details.pdf
© Miller Electric Mfg. LLC
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Titanium 101: Best TIG (GTA) Welding Practices - MillerWelds Page 1 of 20

Titanium 101: Best TIG (GTA)

Responsible fabricators owe it to their customers and themselves to produce

Shielding Gas Is Critical

Clean, Clean, Clean

A standard GTA power source with high

GTA torches can be air- or water-cooled,

For welding titanium use a 2%-ceriated tungsten sized to

A trailing shield such as this one extends the length of the

To provide shielding gas coverage on the back and bottom

When awkward joints preclude the use of standard purge

For demanding applications and where complex

This gas manifold system distributes shielding

First, select the appropriate filler rod to match

To prevent contaminants from entering the weld pool via

To break down the oxide layer prior to welding,

A carbide file—again dedicated to titanium—may also be

To hold the purge blocks in place while welding, consider a fixture/clamp

Notice the variety of stainless steel blocks and shims

Use a stainless steel brush—dedicated for this one purpose—to

To keep interpass temperatures below the critical 800°F

The back of the weld indicates a completely unacceptable

When adding filler rod, be sure the rod end

a) Discoloration must be removed prior to

b) On the weld and in the HAZ up to 0.03

c) Violet, blue and green discoloration is

Note: Discoloration comes in various

Common Grades of Titanium

Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V), an alpha-beta, is the most widely used of any grade of

Grade 23 is similar to Grade 5, but features reduced of oxygen content that

Jody Collier is a senior certified welding inspector (SCWI) and

Donachie, Jr., Matthew (2000), Titanium, A Technical Guide, ASM International,

© Miller Electric Mfg. LLC

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