The Evolution of Shielding Gas

By NATHAN MOYER Reproduced with the permission of Welding Journal and the American Welding Society The advent of gas-shielded arc welding processes can be traced back to the 1920s. However, because of limited research, these processes did not become commercially viable until the 1940s and 1950s. The basic push for research initially was World War II. Over the last 50 years, the industrial gas industry has made significant contributions to the welding industry through the production and purification of different gases and gas mixtures. Today, there are still many hours of research being done on new gas blends and the effects they have on welding. Early Research It started with the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process. At the beginning of World War II, the aircraft industry looked for a better way to construct aircraft. The GTAW process, shielded with helium, was the result. This step got the ball rolling for more research and development on the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and flux cored arc welding (FCAW) processes. Helium (He) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were the main options the welder had at the time due to limited gas manufacturing capabilities. Gas Fundamentals The fundamental purpose of shielding gas is to keep the nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere out of the molten weld pool as it cools. The shielding gas of choice during the development of the GMAW process was CO2. This gas was chosen as a result of analyzing the gas produced from the flux of a shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) electrode. Researchers found CO2 to be the predominate gas in the shielding surrounding the molten pool during the SMAW process. In a few cases, this gas is still the gas of choice for GMAW and FCAW. GTAW process needs were different from GMAW. This process needed a truly inert shielding gas, and helium was the only inert gas available at the time until argon (Ar) came along. Argon Makes an Impact Known in the industrial gas business as "the big A," argon is an inert gas. This means it does not oxidize and has no effect on the chemical composition of the weld metal. Pure argon cannot be used for GMAW of steels since the arc becomes too unstable. An oxidizing gas component is therefore used to stabilize the arc and to ensure a smooth metal transfer during welding. This oxidizing component may be either CO2, oxygen (O), or a combination of these gases. The amount of the oxidizing component added will depend on the steel type and application. The electric arc in gas shielded arc welding can be divided into three parts: the arc plasma, the cathode area, and the anode area. In GMAW, when the electrode constitutes the positive (the anode), the cathode area is on the workpiece as one or more cathode spots. The oxidizing additive is necessary to stabilize these cathode spots; otherwise the arc will tend to flicker around on the surface of the workpiece, forming spatter and an irregular weld bead. There are often advantages in using only CO2 with argon. One is the slight improvement in weld geometry and appearance over Ar-O mixtures. This occurs because of differences in weld pool fluidity, surface tension, and oxides in the molten metal. With CO2 instead of O, there is also less

oxidation and slag formation, which can have an effect on the appearance of the weld as well as the need for cleaning the weld. Another advantage is improved joint penetration, especially in the sidewall. This is mainly a factor of the higher arc voltage and energy employed when welding with CO2 in the mixture. Ar-CO2-O Mixes Throughout the industrial gas market, many different combinations of the Ar-CO2-O mixture are available. There are several goals of these three-part blends: reducing spatter, ability to weld thinner material, and a wider "sweet spot" window where the parameters can be set on a welding machine. Some argue these goals can all be achieved with Ar-CO2 and proper parameter settings, but some end users who swear by these three-part blends state they will never go back to using traditional Ar-CO2 mixes. Establishing a Standard Recently, with so many different mixes and so many different manufacturers of these mixes, the American Welding Society recognized a need to regulate the quality and consistency of shielding gases. Therefore, in 1997, AWS A5.32/A5.32M-97, Specification for Welding Shielding Gases, was produced. This established specifications for purity and moisture of raw components, i.e., argon, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and helium. The standard also established mix tolerances of components and methods for testing and recording these specifications. This provided an end user with a way to know what is being bought and assurance a purchase is what it claims to be. Developments in Shielding Gases The latest developments in shielding gas technology have included some new additions, namely, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, and nitric oxide. Of course, as stated previously, helium has been used for many years in welding. However, it is now being used in some new applications. Helium, like argon, is an inert gas that can be used together with argon and a few percent of CO2 or O for gas metal arc welding of stainless steel. In its pure state, or mixed with argon, it is used as a shielding gas for GTA and GMA aluminum welding. Compared with argon, helium provides better side wall penetration and higher welding speeds by generating a more energy-rich arc. The process is more sensitive to arc length variations when helium is the shielding gas, and the arc is more difficult to strike in GTA welding. Helium and helium mixtures can be used as a root protection gas in installations where it is necessary for the gas to rise in order to force out trapped air. Helium rises because it has a lower density than air. Hydrogen (H) can be added to shielding gases for GTA welding of austenitic stainless steels in order to reduce oxide formation. The addition also means more heat in the arc and a more constricted arc, which improves penetration. It also gives a smoother transition between weld bead and base metal. For root protection purposes, hydrogen addition is beneficial due to its reducing effect of oxygen. Nitrogen with 10% hydrogen is commonly used for root protection. It is not recommended for root protection of austenitic-ferritic (duplex) steels. Here, argon or high-purity nitrogen should be used. Nitrogen (N) is used as an additive in shielding gases for GTA welding of superaustenitic and super-duplex stainless steels. These steels are alloyed with up to 0.5% nitrogen to increase mechanical properties and resistance to pitting. If the shielding gas contains a few percent of nitrogen, nitrogen losses in the weld metal can be prevented. As stated earlier, nitrogen with 10% hydrogen is a common root

protection gas that delivers a good reducing effect. Pure nitrogen will further increase pitting resistance at the root side when welding super-austenitic and superduplex stainless steels. Reducing Ozone The addition of nitric oxide (NO) to shielding gases reduces ozone emissions in the welding zone. This technology was first developed by AGA Gas, Inc., in an effort to reduce the ozone in the welder's atmosphere. The name MISON was attached to this family of NO-containing gases produced by AGA Gas. Reduction of ozone can significantly enhance the quality of the welding environment and reduce the incidence of mucous irritation. There are also possible beneficial effects on concentration, productivity, and consistency in welding quality. When trials were done with this gas, it was discovered NO also served to stabilize the arc to good effect when welding high-alloyed stainless steels and aluminum. Research continues to look for ways to reduce spatter, increase deposition rates, and improve weldability through shielding gases. We've come a long way in the past 50 years; just think what the next 50 years will bring. NATHAN MOYER (nathan.moyer- @us.lindegas.com) is Regional Welding Specialist, AGA Gas Member of the Linde Gas Group, Cleveland, Ohio. ESSENTIALS FOR PROPER WELDING PROCEDURES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Correct Correct Correct Correct Correct electrode size current arc length or voltage travel speed electrode angle

Besides the steady sizzling sound that a correct arc produces the shape of the molten pool and the movement of the metal at the rear of the pool serve as a guide in checking weld quality. In a correctly made deposit the ripples produced on the bead will be uniform and the bead will be smooth no overlaps or undercuts. 1. CORRECT ELECTRODE SIZE The correct choice of electrode size involves consideration of a variety of factors, such as the type, position, preparation of the joint, the ability of the electrode to carry high current values without injury to the weld metal or loss of deposition efficiency, the mass of work metal and its ability to maintain its original properties after welding, the characteristics of the assembly with reference to effect stresses set up by heat application, the practicability to heat treatment before and / or after welding, the specific requirement before and / or after welding, the specific requirements as to welding quality and cost of achieving the desired results. 2. CORRECT CURRENT If current on equipment is too high or too low, you are certain to be disappointed in your weld. If too high, the electrode melts too fast and your molten pool is large and irregular, if too low, there is nor enough heat to melt the base metal and your molten pool will be small, will pile up, look irregular. 3. CORRECT ARC LENGTH

If the arc is too long or voltage too high the metal melts off the electrode is large globules which wobble from side to side as the arc wavers, giving a wide, spattered and irregular bead-with poor fusion between original metal and deposited metal. If the arc is too short, or voltage too low, there is not enough heat to melt the base metal properly and the electrode quite often sticks to the work, giving a high, uneven bead, having irregular ripples with poor fusion. 4. CORRECTTRAVEL SPEED When your speed is too fast your pool does not last long enough, impurities an gas locked in. The bead in narrow and ripples pointed. When speed is too slow the metal piles up, the bead is high and wide with a rather straight ripple. 5. CORRECT ELECTRODE ANGLE The electrode angle is of particular importance in fillet welding and deep groove welding. Generally speaking, when making a fillet weld, the electrode should be held so that ir bisects the angle between the plates (as shown at right) and is perpendicular to the line of weld, if under cut occurs in the verticle member, lower the angle of the arc and direct the arc toward the vertical member.

Welding Data Micro TIG Welding machines Equipment The advent of inverter power sources has facilitated the design of very low current power sources which can reliably initiate and maintain a stable arc of 0.5 amps to an accuracy of 0.5%. Arcraft has taken a step further by introducing a power source which can maintain an arc length of 10mm also. A specially designed circuit enables the machine to work reliably using helium or argon as the shielding gas. A typical welding system usually consists of the following elements: 1.Welding power supply. 2.Weld controller. 3.Welding torch. 4.Gas connections and solenoid valves. Techniques

Tungsten Selection and preparation To stabilize the arc it is necessary to use small diameter electrodes and the recommended electrode size for various current ranges are given in table 1. Electrode diameter Current range Electrode diameter Mm in 0.25 0.5 1.0 0.010 0.020 0.040 Current range A 0-2 3-8 8-20

Values are based on the use of thoriated , ceriated or lanthanated tungsten rods with argon as the shielding gas A.Electrode Diameter - The welding equipment supplier's recommendations and the American Welding Society recommendations are the best place to start with this variable. Keep in mind that as you increase the diameter of the electrode you are able to handle more amperage. For a given amperage, larger diameter electrodes are more difficult to start than smaller ones, but they will probably erode less rapidly. If you use too large an electrode for your amperage level, you are likely to experience arc instability. B.Electrode Taper - This is usually called out in degrees of included angle (usually anywhere between 14 degrees and 60 degrees). Below is a summary chart that illustrates how different tapers offer different arc shapes and features:

Sharper Electrodes Easy arc starting Handle less amperage Wider arc shape Good arc stability Less weld penetration Shorter electrode life

Blunter Electrodes Usually harder to start the arc Handle more amperage Narrower arc shape Potential for more arc wander Better weld penetration Longer electrode life

Arc Shape and Fusion Zone Profile as a Function of Electrode Included Angle The fusion zone profile will depend on: 1.Electrode tip diameter (flat) 2.Arc Gap 3.Material to be welded 4.Shield gas used C.Electrode Tip Diameter - Grinding an electrode to a point is sometimes desirable for certain applications, especially where arc starting is difficult or short duration welds on small parts are performed. However in most cases it is best for a welder to leave a flat spot or tip diameter at the end of electrode. This reduces erosion at the thin part of a point and reduces the concern that the tip may fall into the weld. Larger and smaller tip diameters offer the following trade-offs: Smaller Tip Easier arc starting Potential for more arc wander Less weld penetration Shorter electrode life Larger Tip Usually harder to start the arc Good arc stability More weld penetration More electrode life

Grinding Proper Tungsten preparation is a key variable in the quality of your welding. Even the best welding equipment can not overcome the effects of a badly prepared and contaminated electrode. Properly ground electrodes reduce or eliminate arc wander, splitting, shedding, welding quality inconsistencies and scrap of expensive parts. Always use a dedicated Tungsten grinder. Grinding electrodes on regular shop equipment or grinding other materials on tungsten grinders leads to contamination of the electrode and reduced welding performance. In addition, dedicated grinder allow for geometry measurement for testing and for maintaining consistency of preparation according to established procedures. Grind longitudinally and concentrically so that the lines on the ground surface move in the same direction as the electrode and the electrode has no flat spots. Grinding crosswise causes arc wander and risk inclusions in some applications. Since tungsten is a very hard material, grinding wheels should be made of diamond or borazon.

Electrodes should be cut using a cutting wheel where possible. Notching and breaking or using pliers to snap electrodes can cause splintering in the electrode that is difficult to see and can create a weld defect. Selection - No single material is the right choice for every application. In the past, most welders used 2% Thoriated Tungsten for most DC welding applications. However, because this material is slightly radioactive and ingestion of the dust during grinding represents a health hazard, many welders have looked to other alternatives. Nonradioactive 2% Ceriated Tungsten has proven itself to be very good in low amperage welding and is commonly used by orbital welders. The new non-radioactive 1% Lanthanated Tungsten electrode is an excellent substitute for 2% Thoriated Tungsten in almost every application. In addition, independent, controlled tests have shown that it actually offers better arc starting and longer life. Shield gas The shield gases used with tungsten electrodes must only be oxygen-free gases and gas mixtures. Even a very small content of oxygen leads to surface oxidation (recognized by a blue colour on the electrode tip) . The flow of shield gas should continue after the arc is extinguished until the electrode has cooled (T < 250 C). Electrode protrusion The end of the electrode protruding from the nozzle should be as short as possible in order to guarantee optimum flow of shield gas. Ventilation To ensure the optimum flow of shield gas during welding, it is essential to avoid draughts. Of course, this does not mean that the extraction of welding fumes can be neglected in any way. Immersion of electrode tip in weld pool It is essential to prevent the immersion of the electrode tip into the molten weld pool, as this impairs the arc Electrode Diameter Welding parameters For welding in many precision or high-purity applications, a specification may already be written that outlines the recommended welding parameters, including the base material; part diameter(s); weld joint and part fit-up requirements; shield gas type and purity; arc length; and tungsten electrode material, tip geometry, and surface condition. Some welding equipment suppliers offer a series of precalculated weld programs for a variety of part diameters, materials, and thicknesses. Welders should always follow an equipment supplier's suggested procedures first because the suppliers usually have performed a significant amount of qualifying and troubleshooting work. Of course, equipment suppliers can not possible have welding procedures for every welding application, This article is intended as a guideline for those GTAW applications in which no specification exists and the engineer responsible for the welding must create the welding setup and derive the welding parameters.

The rules of thumb noted here are general guidelines only and will not apply to every welding application and mix of parameters chosen. Although the welding parameters often are chosen and changed according to the specific needs of the application, some industry standards have been developed as starting points. Experimentation and experience will determine the final weld parameters. The addition of wire to the process creates many additional parameters. This article focuses on fusion welding only. Arc Length The arc length (sometimes called the arc gap) is the distance from the electrode tip to the part to be welded. This setting is dependent on weld current, arc stability, and part concentricity/ovality. The welding engineer's objective is to keep the electrode at a constant distance from the part surface with a sufficient gap to avoid stubbing out. As a rule of thumb, an arc length of 0.10 inch acts as a base. Half the weld penetration required , expressed in thousandths of an inch, is added to the base measurement to give the arc length for a given amperage. Thus, if the part material thickness is 0.030 inch, the a good starting arc length would be 0.010 inch + 0.015 inch = 0.025 inch. For a material thickness/ penetration of 0.154 inch, a good starting arc length would be 0.010 inch + 0.072 inch = 0.082 inch. Weld Speed The weld speed, which is the speed of travel of the torch over the part or the part under the torch, is dependent on the flow rate of the material to be welded and the material thickness. The objective is to weld as quickly as possible while still yielding a quality output. Weld speed is a predominant factor in defining the production output of a welding system. Orbital welding equipment weld speeds usually are 4 to 10 inches per minute (IPM), lathe welding speeds may be 5 to 60 IPM, and tube mill welding speeds can vary from 3 IPM to 60 feet per minute (FPM) .As a starting point for parts rotated under a welding torch, the tungsten surface speed should be 10 to 20 IPM, with the faster welding speeds used for thinner-wall materials and the slower speeds used for heavy-wall thicknesses. Welding Current The welding current corresponds to the amount of heat applied to the part to effect the weld, and it depends on the material to be welded, material thickness, welding speed, and shield gas. The objective is the achieve defect-free welds with the required penetration. The welder should start by using 1 amp of welding current for every 0.001 inch of material thickness and for each 10-IPM weld speed increment if the material is stainless steel. Thus, for a 0.030 inch material thickness, the average weld current would be 30 amps in the first level with average weld speeds . To compensate for heat buildup in circular parts during welding, a downslope at the end of the weld or multiple levels of weld current can be used. If the weld current used to initially penetrate the parts were held at the same level for the complete weld, the weld penetration would increase as the weld progressed around the part potentially producing too much penetration The number of levels of welding current needed depend greatly on the welding application and the associated welding speed. Pulsing Arc pulsing involves using the welding power supply to alternate the weld current

rapidly from a high (peak current) to a low (background current) value. This creates a seam of overlapping spot welds.This technique reduces the overall heat input to the base material and also can allow for increases in weld speed. Arc pulsing brings many benefits to the welding procedure, often improving weld quality and repeatability. In some cases, materials and weld joints with poor fit-up that are difficult to weld successfully with a nonpulsed arc can be welded easily with a pulsed arc technique. The results are improved weld quality and increased output. Arc pulsing involves four welding parameters: peak current, background current, pulse width (pulse duty cycle or on-time), and pulse frequency. Many welders arrive at the same welding result using somewhat different welding parameters. The primary objective is to use the benefits of weld pulsation to improve weld quality and output. Peak-to-background current ratios. The peak-to-background current ratios basically provide a means for the welding current to pulse form one level to another. Industry usage generally varies from 2:1 to 5:1 ratios. A good starting point is to use a 3:1 ratio, make the required weld, and test other parameters to see if any benefit can be gained. Pulse frequency. The pulse frequency depends on the required spot overlap. A good starting parameter is to try to achieve 75 percent spot overlap. The pulse rate for thin-material parts welded at slow speeds often is equal to the weld speed in IPM (for example, 5 IPM = 5 pulses per second). Pulse width The pulse width--the percentage of time spent on the peak current--is dependent on the heat sensitivity of the material and the maximum available current from the power supply. Material with higher heat sensitivity may require a lower pulse width percentage on the peak current. Standard pulse width are often 20 to 50 percent. A good starting point is to set a pulse width of 35 percent. Backing system When welding high integrity components, a shielding gas is used to protect the underside of the weld pool and weld bead from oxidation. To reduce the amount of gas consumed, a localised gas shroud for sheet, dams or plugs for tubular components is used. As little as 5% air can result in a poor weld bead profile and may reduce corrosion resistance in materials like stainless steel. With gas backing systems in pipe welding, pre-weld purge time depends on the diameter and length of the pipe. The flow rate/purge time is set to ensure at least five volume changes before welding. Stick on tapes and ceramic backing bars are also used to protect and support the weld bead. In manual stainless steel welding, a flux-cored wire instead of a solid wire can be used in the root run. This protects the underbead from oxidation without the need for gas backing. Insert A pre-placed insert can be used to improve the uniformity of the root penetration. Its main use is to prevent suck-back in an autogenous weld, especially in the overhead position. The use of an insert does not make welding any easier and skill is still required to avoid problems of incomplete root fusion and uneven root penetration. Protective equipment A slightly darker glass should be used in the head or hand shield than that used for MMA welding.

Recommended shade number of filter for TIG welding: Shade number 9 10 11 12 13 14 Welding current A less than 20 20 to 40 40 to 100 100 to 175 175 to 250 250 to 400

Weld Preparations Decisive for the success of a weld joint are the following factors Parent metal Cleanliness of the plate edges Torch Position Parameter setting ( energy input/welding speed) Weld shape Heat dissipation from the weld joint. Applications Welding of bellows , transducers , seals, thermocouples , sensors , tubes , diaphragms , batteries , medical implants, tube to flange , foils and many others.

Materials which can be welded Stainless, heat-resistant, and other steels; titanium; Inconel; Kovar; zircalloy; tantalum; copper; brass; gold; and silver.

Summary of the Fundamentals of Precision Arc Welding In arc welding processes a multitude of welding parameters exist that can affect the size, shape, and quality of the weld. Many weld parameters, or variables, exist and each can be discussed at length. It is imperative however, that the engineer responsible for welding have, at minimum, an understanding of how to choose and modify the basic parameters for simple weld applications. Listed below are the fundamental elements to understand. 1.The physics of welding, arc starting, arc voltage, weld current, and heat input (watt-secs). 2.Design of the weld joint, joint fit-up requirements, and heat balance considerations. 3.Tooling design: materials and geometry. 4.Rules of thumb for choosing the correct weld current. How to recognize insufficient or excess weld current. 5.The six main benefits of arc pulsing. How to choose the pulsation rates empirically or from pre-calculation. 6.The effect of weld speed. What happens when the weld speed is too fast or too slow? 7.Arc length--how to choose the correct arc length. What happens when the arc length is too long or too short? 8.Welding electrode--the effect of electrode material and geometry on the weld shape.Electrode materials available. Grinding requirements. 9.Shield gases--how to choose the shield gas and gas purity grade. Gas types and mixtures, argon, helium, argon/hydrogen. The effect of hydrogen on the arc and weld quality. Gas lens requirements.