Choosing the right welding process is essential for achieving the best quality possible for industrial fabrication. By selecting the best welding process for a given project a diverse range of needs can be met in terms of budget, time line, cost, quality, and more. An effective welding process for a wide range of different industrial applications is is Gas Tungsten Arc Welding or GTAW for short. GTAW allows virtually any metal to be welded, including stainless steel and dissimilar metals, using processes like AC welding. Let’s take a closer look at the GTAW welding process and its role in industrial fabrication.
What is GTAW and How Does it Work?
GTAW, also known as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding, uses non-consumable tungsten electrodes along with an inert shielding gas, making it ideal for welding aluminum and other metals. A welding arc is then formed by the tungsten electrode while the inert gas prevents the welding pool from becoming contaminated. There are two primary GTAW processes:
- Filler Metal – The vast majority of GTAW applications involve a filler metal. This filler metal wire is fed into the weld area by hand and is melted to strengthen the bond between materials, enhancing weld quality.
- No Filler Metal – When a GTAW application does not use a filler metal, the resulting weld is known as a fusion weld. This process is mainly employed on thin materials, and they are commonly performed on edges and corners.
Types of Tungsten Available for Use with GTAW
GTAW can be done using a variety of different tungsten types. Some of these types include:
- Zirconiated Tungsten – This particular tungsten alloy is typically employed on welds that require high AC currents and nonferrous metals. This makes it extremely useful for metals such as aluminum, copper, and silver.
- Pure Tungsten – Pure tungsten is a non-alloy that can only be employed on welds that do not involve iron. An alternating current is used during this welding process.
- Thoriated Tungsten – This is the most commonly used type of tungsten electrode, and it is typically used on carbon and stainless steel.
Shielding Gas
Inert argon gas is the most commonly employed GTAW shielding gas due to its ability to prevent weld defects stemming from varying arc lengths. However, sometimes helium is used instead since it can often provide better weld penetration. Both of these gases have their benefits and drawbacks, and for many welders, using a gas blend of argon and helium is the best way to go.
The Benefits GTAW for Industrial Fabrication
There are numerous advantages to using the GTAW welding process for industrial fabrication. Some of these benefits include the following:
- GTAW can be used for welding on almost any type of metal, making it a versatile choice for manual welding and industrial fabrication applications.
- GTAW allows the welder to maintain a higher degree of control over the welding pool.
- GTAW yields extremely high quality results under the right conditions.
- GTAW results in little-to-no spatter, making it the one of the cleanest welding processes
- GTAW can be performed with or without filler metals
- GTAW allows for good control over variables such as temperature.
Some Limitations of the GTAW Welding Process
As with any welding process, GTAW does have some limitations which may make it unsuitable for some industrial fabrication processes. Some drawbacks of the process include the following:
- While GTAW often has higher costs stemming from slower welding speeds, its precision justifies the investment for certain welding applications.
- GTAW requires a highly skilled, experienced welder to perform.
- GTAW cannot be automated and must be performed manually.
- GTAW has lower deposition rates when compared to some other welding processes.
When to Use GTAW for Industrial Fabrication
GTAW is typically employed on stainless steel and a variety of non-ferrous metals, excelling in welding copper and aluminum with deeper weld penetration. It is especially effective on thin and lower-quality metals such as magnesium, copper, and aluminum, making it suitable for welding filler metal and tungsten electrode arc applications. GTAW produces welds of exceptional quality and the potential for defects is drastically reduced by the process. This makes GTAW ideal for fabrication that requires close attention to details and precision.
STI Group’s Welding and Industrial Fabrication Services
Whether GTAW or another welding process is used, STI Group will always select the best welding process for a given industrial fabrication process. For high-quality welds that are free of defects and contamination, you can count on STI Group.
