Gas Tungsten Arc Welding

Emphasis on Stainless Steel

Sekhar Basu Roy Chaudhuari

On 19 th. January, 2013. With active support of

Presented By :

Somenath Ghosh

Major Arc welding processes

MMAW / SMAW
Manual Metal Arc Welding / Shielded Metal Arc Welding

GMAW / FCAW *
Gas Metal Arc Welding ( MIG / MAG ) Flux Cored Arc welding

GTAW *
Gas Tungsten Arc welding Plasma Arc welding

SAW
Submerged Arc Welding Electro slag

*Gas shielded processes

Welding processes Areas of application

MMAW Most versatile process, low investment Deposition rate upto 4 kg/hr. Offers flexibility with higher productivity. Deposition rate upto 6 kg/hr. for manual Upto 20 kg/hr. for mechanised twin wire High quality low productivity process Deposition rate upto 2kg/hr. Maybe mechanised for higher productivity Very high productivity but restricted to Straight welds in downhand & H-V fillet Deposition rates upto 25 kgs / hr.

GMAW GTAW

SAW

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Process

Development of GTAW process

On February 24th 1942 a patent was issued to Russell Meredith of the Northrop Aircraft Company concerning an invention 'relating to welding magnesium by means of an electric arc'. After acquiring the rights to the process the Linde Corporation renamed the process 'Heliarc'. The process is now widely known as Tungsten Inert Gas, or TIG, although it may sometimes be called 'Argonarc', or, less frequently now, 'Heliarc', while in the USA it is known as Gas Tungsten Arc Welding or GTAW.

Gas Tungsten Arc ( TIG ) Welding

Uses Tungsten electrode Inert gas shielded

Manual process but maybe automated

Very high quality Low productivity

GTA welding advantages and disadvantages

Advantages:
Very good control of the weld pool and penetration Heat transfer is easily controlled No spatter Welding without filler material possible Thin material welding with very low currents is possible Can weld all types of metals and alloys The weld seam forming is good and slag free Weld root side is clean and slag-free (with root gas)

Disadvantages:
Slow speed in filling large grooves Sensitive to drafts and wind Sensitive to impurities Gas purity is a critical factor High need for root protection Welder skill requirement is high Cost of process is comparitively higher.

Application of TIG welding

Welding of critical pipes and pipelines, for example pressurized pipes, Manufacturing heat exchanger pipes and combinations, Manufacturing stainless pipe and tubes, Thin materials from ~ 0,1 mm and higher, Thin stainless steel welding, Aluminum welding, Special materials welding, eg. Titanium, Railway and Wagan Industry, Fixing and repairing minor works, Space and aircraft industry.

How the TIG process works

The Tungsten Inert Gas, or TIG process, uses the heat generated by an electric arc struck between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the workpiece to fuse metal in the joint area and produce a molten weld pool. The arc area is shrouded in an inert or reducing gas shield to protect the weld pool and the non-consumable electrode. The process may be operated autogenously, that is, without filler, or filler may be added by feeding a consumable wire or rod into the established weld pool.

Schematic showing the principle of the TIG welding process

GTAW process

TIG welding set-up

TIG TORCH (AIR or WATER COOLED) REGULATOR/FLOWMETER

SHIELDING GAS
WORK PIECE

CONSTANT CURRENT POWER SUPPLY

WATER COOLER (OPTIONAL)

Power Source Characteristics

Power Sources of Constant Current type having drooping characteristics are used for - MMAW process - GTAW process - Plasma processes Power sources of constant voltage type having flat characteristics are used for - GMAW & FCAW processes - SAW process

Drooping characteristics power source

Designed to give stable operation where the electrode moves up and down with the welders hand eg MMAW and GTAW processes. Variation in arc voltage with movement of the welders hand results in very little change in current Stable current gives consistent arc heat and weld pool

ISO line of the power source is V= 20+ 0.04xI

Effect of polarity on heat input

DCEN Cathode
1/16

DCEP Anode
1/4 3/32

A C

_ 2/3 heat 1/3 heat 50% heat

AC Cleaning
DCEN
Oxide Layer
Arc

DCEP

Electrode

(Negative Half Cycle)

(Positive Half Cycle)

Penetration

Cleaning

Melt Zone

Polarity for arc processes

GTAW Electrode DC ve for mild steel, stainless steel, Ni and Ni alloys, Cu and Cu alloys AC for aluminium, magnesium & Al-Bronze. Sometimes electrode DC +ve used for thin sheet GMAW Electrode DC +ve for all materials

Development of Power sources

Some, more sophisticated, power sources allow the welding current to start at a low level and build-up and also allow the current to decay slowly when welding ceases. This 'slope-up' and 'slope-down' facility prevents burn through on thin material and allows crater filling to take place.

Layout of typical TIG welding equipment

Gas post flow

The solenoid valve in the shielding gas flow path opens immediately after the command from the start switch. When welding is stopped the solenoid valve shuts after a certain adjustable post flow time. This delay protects in cooling the weld and especially the cooling of the electrode from oxidation. When the post flow time is long enough the electrode tip remains shiny and clear. Too short a post gas time oxidises the Tungsten, and darkens its colour. The electrode wear is even 30 % higher, causing also faults in the weld. Post gas time is adjusted according to the electrode cooling time, which is long when welding with high currents. Usually the setting is 5 - 15 s.

GTA Welding Machines

For GTAW Welding we can have
DC TIG welding Machines DC Pulsed welding machines AC TIG welding machines, AC Square wave pulsing machines AC/DC TIG Welding Machines

Pulsed welding Power Sources

Many welding sets now are capable of giving a pulsed arc in which high current pulses are provided over a lower background current. The pulse frequency, duration, and maximum current and the background duration and current can be varied to suit the application. With some equipment the pulse shape can be varied too. Use of pulsing allows greater control over heat input of the arc and enables consistent welds to be made in very thin materials, in dissimilar thickness joints, and unsupported root runs, and when welding in position.

Pulsed welding
In pulse-TIG welding the current changes according to the settings of frequency and pulse ratio, between pulse and pause currents. PULSE Iave. = Average current t c = Cycle time / Frequency RATIO t s = Pulse time I s = Pulse current I t = Pause current
BACK. FREQUENCY PULSE ON / OFF
Is

I
ts

tc

It

Pulsed TIG welding modes

Pulse welding can be divided to three different classes, according to frequency:

Long pulse welding Frequency 0.2 - 10Hz Considerable pause time, during which the molten metal has time to cool, so the weld is easier to control . Quick pulse Frequency 50 - 500Hz Frequency is so high, that pulse cycles are no longer distinguished Usually the penetration is better and weld narrower This feature is typical for ordinary inverter power sources.
High frequency pulse Frequency 1kHz- 20kHz Only in special machines

AC waveforms
+ 0 t

Sine wave
Traditional AC - transformer (50Hz) Low noise,half cycle ignition bad

+ 0 -

Square wave
t

Traditional or inverter power source High noise, good oxide cleaning AC frequency adjustable

+ 0 -

Formed square wave

t

Used in modern power sources Combined sine- and square wave Optimum AC properties AC frequency adjustable

AC - balance adjustment
70% +
0

Maximum positive balance

Low penetration Good oxide cleaning A hotter electrode, tip wears round

30% 30% +
0

Maximum negative balance

Deep penetration Bad oxide cleaning A colder electrode, stays sharper

2.4

3.2 4.0

BALANCE

t + 0 70%

Adjustment depends on:

Material thickness Oxide layer thickness Base material

AC

Usually in AC welding the arc ignition is done with DC+. This function is automatic

Pulsed TIG applications

Pulse TIG is a versatile welding process for all positions and material thicknesses Uses: Positional welding Pipe welding Welding without filler material Welding of materials of different thicknesses Special materials eg SS & Ni alloys Advantages: Greater control on fusion & penetration Welding is quicker (quick pulse) Deeper penetration Easier welding Stabile arc

TIG Welding Quality

Shielding Gases
ARGON

Best

arc stability Best shielding Best cleaning action

HELIUM

Increases

penetration and heat Increases welding speed

ARGON

/ HELIUM MIXTURES Combines benefits of both gases

Shielding gas flow rates

Flow rates : 6 10 litres per minute, depending on application, using argon gas. A low flow rate can easily cause defects in the welding. Too high a flow rate can also cause defects in the welding due to turbulence, along with high costs in gas. Shield gas type : For example, when using light helium as shielding gas, the flow rate must be 1.5 - 3 times more than with argon. Welding speed: In mechanized welding the weld pool can become larger than usual. Then a larger gas nozzle and flow rate can be used When needed, a gas lens can be used in the torch. Longer gas shield distances are possible when using a gas lense.

Back Purging
When TIG welding certain materials, such as stainless steel or nickel alloys, it is necessary to prevent the reverse side of the weld area oxidising, particularly in pipework when postweld cleaning of the root is impossible.This is usually achieved by passing a stream of inert gas through the pipe, or over the reverse side of a plate, to exclude, or purge, oxygen from the area. The gases most frequently used for purging are argon or nitrogen. Which gas is chosen will depend on technical, practical or economic reasons.

TIG Torch and electrodes

Tungsten Electrodes
2% Thoriated for DC welding of MS, SS, Cu & Ni alloys - Red Tip Pure tungsten for AC welding of Aluminium, Magnesium Green Tip

Electrode Identification Tungsten electrodes are identified in some countries by coloured rings or the ends being painted according to their alloy content. These colour codes are often country specific. Tungsten Electrode Compositions and Colour Code as per European Standard EN 26848, 1991

* Composite electrodes also have a pink identification ring in addition to the above

Application of Tungsten electrodes

Code Oxide Color WP Pure Green WT20 Thorium 2% Red WZ 8 Zirconium 0.80% White WL10 Lanthanoid 1% Black WL15 Lanthanoid 1.50% Gold WC20 Cerium 2% Gray Polarity AC DC/AC AC DC/AC DC/AC DC/AC

Preparation of Tungsten Electrode

It is necessary to prepare the tip of the tungsten electrode, usually by grinding, to aid arc initiation, stability, and control. For DCEN operation a point is ground with an included, or vertex, angle according to the application and the current that is to be used. It should be noted that grinding should be carried out along the length of the electrode not round the tungsten. Grinding round the tungsten can cause the arc to wander up the electrode creating an unstable or rotating arc.

For AC operation the tip of the electrode should be rounded off and not pointed. This is because when using AC the tungsten tends to form a ball on the end of the electrode rather than keeping a point.

Tungsten Inclusions
Touching a tungsten electrode into a molten weld pool will often result in some tungsten being melted off and taken into the weld metal. Similarly, if the tip of a tungsten electrode for AC operation is ground to a point, this will be removed on initiation of the AC arc and end up in the weld metal. The resultant tungsten inclusions will be classified as a defect and will have to be ground out and the weld repaired. Welders should be careful not to allow the electrodes to come into contact with the weld pool and to ensure all tungsten electrodes are correctly ground and prepared for welding.

AWS Specifications for Filler Metals Suitable for GTAW

Specification No. A 5.2 A 5.7 A 5.9 Iron and Steel gas welding rods. Copper and Copper alloy bare welding rods and electrodes Corrosion resistant Chromium-Nickel steel bars and composite metal cored and standard arc welding electrodes and welding rods Aluminium and Aluminium alloy welding rods and bare electrodes

A 5.10

A 5.13
A 5.14 A 5.16 A 5.18 A 5.19 A 5.24

Surfacing welding rods and electrodes

Nickel and nickel alloy bare welding rods and electrodes Titanium and titanium alloy bare welding rods and electrodes Mild steel electrodes for Gas Metal Arc Welding Magnesium alloy welding rods and bare electrodes Zirconium and Zirconium alloy bare welding rods and electrodes

Recommended Current Ranges for Tungsten Electrodes

Based upon European Standard, EN 26848, 1991.

GTAW Welding Parameters

The current and polarity to be used will determine the diameter of the tungsten electrode. The relationship between current and electrode diameter for tungsten electrodes with additions of thorium oxide, cerium oxide, lanthanum oxide or zirconium oxide is shown in the next table If using pure tungsten electrodes the currents quoted should be reduced to 75-90% of these values for DCEN operation and to 60-75% for AC operation. It is advised that national standards be consulted for suitable current ranges.

Selecting the right parameters

ELECTRODE DIAMETER GAS NOZZLE no. GAS FLOW l / min CURRENT RANGE A

1,6
2,4 3,2 4,0

4-5 5-6
6-7 7-8

5-7 6-8
7-9 8 - 10

20 - 130 100 - 250

150 - 350 200 - 500

Gas nozzle number is defined by the marking 1/16 ( 1,5875mm ) Example: number 5 is 5 x 1,5875 mm = 7,9 mm

HF - Ignition Unit
High frequency (HF) unit ignites the arc without contact between the electrode and workpiece. Usually TIG welding equipment are compact, so that the high frequency unit is mounted inside the machine. Separate units are mainly used with multiprocess power sources. HF has been known to create difficulties and interference with computer systems, telephones, and other electronic items, including heart pacemakers For example at nuclear power plant constructions the use of HF - spark is prohibited.

DC Suppressor in AC
l

Function of DC Suppressor n Additional accessory to remove unwanted DC from output - provides only AC output for welding Why DC Suppressor? n In the positive half cycle, the oxide layer formed on the surface of the job behaves as a PN junction diode in the reverse bias and does not conduct current n A DC suppressor removes the DC component and facilitates AC output free from unwanted DC

Electrode stick-out and arc length in DC (-)ve welding

3 - 5 mm
1 - 5 mm

Electrode stick-out depends on the current and joint type used

The Activated Flux (A-TIG) process

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding is widely used in nuclear, aerospace, power, oil, shipbuilding & host of other industries. Fundamental to applications requiring high quality thru control of bead shape & metallurgical characteristics. It is, however, a low productivity process, A-TIG welding process, developed by Paton Welding Institute in the 1960s, is a feasible alternative to increase the process productivity A-TIG uses a thin layer of an active flux that is applied to the surface before welding. The activated flux causes constriction in the arc,increasing current density at the anode root and the arc force acting on weld pool.

Advantages Of A-TIG Process

A-TIG can enhance weld penetration by up to 300% A-TIG gives weld metal properties similar to parent metal

Less sensitive to cast to cast material variation

Higher welding speed and productivity Cost of Welding can be reduced by as much as 50 %

Weld Penetration Profile

(Automation) Mechanised wire feeding in TIG to increase Productivity

Boiler Tube to Plate Welding Machine Head

Typical equipment for tube and tube-plate welding for heat exchangers has been developed. These systems may operate from the outside or inside depending on tube diameter and the size of the welding head.

Special thanks to Mr. Somenath Ghosh for his support and help.

THANK YOU ALL