Have you ever wondered what TIG welding was all about? Perhaps you like to weld or you work in a Cleveland fabrication shop and want to learn a little more about its operation, history and applications. Here is some helpful information on the subject. Hopefully it will give you a little more insight into the process along with a few tips for improving your welding skills.
What Does TIG Mean?
This welding process uses “tungsten inert gas” and it became popular in the 40s for welding aluminum and magnesium. It was a welcome replacement for many forms of standard arc welding at the time. In order to weld, you use an electrode made of tungsten to provide the current needed. An inert gas like argon is utilized to protect the weld and the tungsten.
Before TIG welding, it was very difficult to weld aluminum and since a great deal of aluminum was used during WWII, it was important to find a solution to this problem. Today, the process is still used widely in Cleveland and all over the world.
No Filler Needed
Unlike standard methods, no filler is required in the TIG process. However, filler can be used in some cases, depending on the type of weld required. The arc produced is very intense and this essentially bonds one type of metal to another. Because filler isn’t required, one can create high quality work with minimal seams.
TIG and MIG methods are similar because they both use an inert gas for shielding. However, MIG welding uses flux and filler rods and this requires the use of both hands, one to hold the filler and the other for the weld nozzle. With TIG methods, one hand can be used to weld and the other one for support, to create a very accurate weld.
Starting the Arc
In order to get the arc started one must create a short circuit and this can be accomplished by scratching the metal to be welded. This gets the electric current flowing. However, it’s not always a good idea to use the tungsten element for scratching, because tungsten may contaminate the weld. Most arcs are started with a high frequency method, which delivers the best results.
More Uses for TIG Welding in Cleveland
Today, TIG methods are used for all kinds of sheet metals and especially for aluminum. As the automotive industry strives to keep up with fuel efficiency standards, lighter vehicles are being made with aluminum. This calls for special fabrication methods for the best possible welds and TIG equipment is a common choice.
