Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) - GTAW
What is GTAW?
Tungsten Inert Gas welding (TIG) also known as GTAW is a unique welding process that uses an unconsumable tungsten electrode to create an arc of electricity between it and the parent material while using a shielding gas, typically Argon. When the arc is struck, a weld puddle is formed and can fuse two materials together or a filler material can be added.
TIG welding can produce much stronger welds compared to laser welding.
Some important factors to note when wanting products GTAW welded:
- Parts must have adequate material to avoid distortion.
- Parts should have thicker-walled parts so burn-through is minimized.
- Weld joints or areas should be easy to access to stick the torch into without arcing out in unwanted areas.
TIG welding allows for more penetration into the parent material giving the welded area more strength. Parts or assemblies that are subject to large amounts of force and stresses benefit more from a TIG weld over a Laser weld. Our capabilities allow us to TIG weld with as little as 1/10th of an amp, leaving parts with minimal excess material for little secondary machining, buffing, or polishing.
Common applications include welding carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium alloys where the integrity is critical. Our customers in the medical, aerospace, and food industries can greatly benefit from this type of welding.
Best-suited metals for Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) - GTAW
- Stainless steels
- Carbon steels
- Nickel alloys
- Titanium alloys
- Aluminum alloys
Purge Chamber
Microtech has taken steps to further accommodate our customers’ needs by offering a purge chamber that works in conjunction with the TIG and Micro TIG processes. The purge chamber is used to provide a completely inert atmosphere for welding reactive metals such as Titanium, Cobalt Chrome, and Molybdenum, as well as non-reactive metals like stainless steel.
The benefit of this application is that the inert atmosphere minimizes contamination of weld, and in certain instances, reduces heat transfer and discoloration on parts where cosmetics are critical.
