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Tungsten inert gas (TIG or GTA) welding
Job Knowledge 6
Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding became an overnight success in the 1940s for joining
magnesium and aluminium. Using an inert gas shield instead of a slag to protect the weldpool,
the process was a highly attractive replacement for gas and manual metal arc welding. TIG
has played a major role in the acceptance of aluminium for high quality welding and structural
applications.
Process characteristics
In the TIG process the arc is formed between a pointed tungsten electrode and the workpiece in an inert atmosphere of argon or
helium. The small intense arc provided by the pointed electrode is ideal for high quality and precision welding. Because the
electrode is not consumed during welding, the welder does not have to balance the heat input from the arc as the metal is
deposited from the melting electrode. When filler metal is required, it must be added separately to the weldpool.
Power source
TIG must be operated with a drooping, constant current power source - either DC or AC. A constant current power source is
essential to avoid excessively high currents being drawn when the electrode is short-circuited on to the workpiece surface. This
could happen either deliberately during arc starting or inadvertently during welding. If, as in MIG welding, a flat characteristic
power source is used, any contact with the workpiece surface would damage the electrode tip or fuse the electrode to the
workpiece surface. In DC, because arc heat is distributed approximately one-third at the cathode (negative) and two-thirds at
the anode (positive), the electrode is always negative polarity to prevent overheating and melting. However, the alternative
power source connection of DC electrode positive polarity has the advantage in that when the cathode is on the workpiece, the
surface is cleaned of oxide contamination. For this reason, AC is used when welding materials with a tenacious surface oxide
film, such as aluminium.
Arc starting
The welding arc can be started by scratching the surface, forming a short-circuit. It is only when the short-circuit is broken that
the main welding current will flow. However, there is a risk that the electrode may stick to the surface and cause a tungsten
inclusion in the weld. This risk can be minimised using the 'lift arc' technique where the short-circuit is formed at a very low
current level. The most common way of starting the TIG arc is to use HF (High Frequency). HF consists of high voltage sparks of
several thousand volts which last for a few microseconds. The HF sparks will cause the electrode - workpiece gap to break down
or ionise. Once an electron/ion cloud is formed, current can flow from the power source.
Note: As HF generates abnormally high electromagnetic emission (EM), welders should be aware that its use can cause
interference especially in electronic equipment. As EM emission can be airborne, like radio waves, or transmittedalong power
cables, care must be taken to avoid interference with control systems and instruments in the vicinity of welding.
HF is also important in stabilising the AC arc; in AC, electrode polarity is reversed at a frequency of about 50 times per second,
causing the arc to be extinguished at each polarity change. To ensure that the arc is reignited at each reversal of polarity, HF
sparks are generated across the electrode/workpiece gap to coincide with the beginning of each half-cycle.
Electrodes
Electrodes for DC welding are normally pure tungsten with 1 to 4% thoria to improve arc ignition. Alternative additives are
lanthanum oxide and cerium oxide which are claimed to give superior performance (arc starting and lower electrode
consumption). It is important to select the correct electrode diameter and tip angle for the level of welding current. As a rule, the
lower the current the smaller the electrode diameter and tip angle. In AC welding, as the electrode will be operating at a much
higher temperature, tungsten with a zirconia addition is used to reduce electrode erosion. It should be noted that because of the
