How Tig Welding Works and Which Metals Can Be Welded With It

TIG stands for Tungsten Inert Gas welding. Of all the welding processes, TIG is the most demanded. For the jobs that require detailed and precise welding, nothing can beat TIG welding. During the process, it uses a non-consumable electrode and tungsten inert gas for shielding. TIG welders consume less energy in comparison to other welding equipment making them cost-effective and economical. They don’t produce any slag or weld beads hence giving a cleaner output. This welding process is commonly used in aero-space industry, chemical refining, and fossil fuel industry and hospital equipment and so on.    

Other welding methods like stick welding make use of the consumable electrode during the process. In this, the welding professional has to halt the work occasionally for replacing the consumed rod. This can make an impact on the overall quality of the finished weld whereas in TIG welding, a different arc with a non-consumable electrode is used. This doesn’t cause any disturbance and allows continuous working that result in neat and flawless welds. 

TIG welding process is highly versatile in nature. For many applications, it can make use of a consumable filler metal to create a weld fill.  Also, there are instances when a filler weld is not required as in the case of autogenous welds. 

Though, it seems natural that welding should work on all types of metals but this is not the case. Earlier welding metals that were not iron based or were non-ferrous was a challenging task. But TIG welders can easily weld non-ferrous metals without a problem.

TIG welding is almost similar to gas welding as far as the technique is concerned. In this, the torch is held in one hand and the filler rod is handled with the other hand. It is more complex than other arc welding processes as it requires the use of both hands. Training and practice are critical before using this technique. Sometimes a foot pedal amperage control is also used which increases the difficulty level. 

A TIG torch is designed to provide a shielding gas and welding current though a tungsten electrode and can be either water cooled or air cooled. The internal copper parts of the equipment like the collet holds the electrode in place and a ceramic nozzle directs the shielding gas to the weld puddle. The tungsten electrode is sharpened for working with low amperage and the heat produced melts the metal and makes the weld puddle. It comes out from the arc and the weld is created between the tungsten electrode and the work piece. It makes use of a shielding gas such as argon, helium or a mixture of both. The welding arc works on both AC and DC and can produce clean and neat welds. 

Almost all types of metals can be welded using TIG welders. The metals included are: carbon, stainless steels, low alloy steels, nickel, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, copper and its alloys and many more. 

You can buy from a wide variety of TIG welding equipment from one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers like Longevity-inc. Whether you are an enthusiast or a professional, Longevity offers the perfect welding machine for you. These TIG welders ranges from 160 amps for the do it yourself users to 500 amps for the industrial welding market. You will experience a new way of welding with their innovative TIG machines that enable pulse controls, frequency controls, gas controls, and various other features for a fraction of price that their competitors charge. 

With their 30 day satisfaction guarantee, you will see that Longevity is a solid choice during your trial period. 

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