What Are the Advantages of TIG Welding?

Welding is a process to join two different pieces of material together by melting them together. More precisely, the edges are melted and then pressed together and allowed to cool. The resulting joint is usually stronger than the materials around it. Welding is similar to soldering and brazing but those heat a material with a relatively low melting point temperature which is then placed between the two materials and acts as a seal between them.

Arc welding is a very common method of welding and uses electricity arcing between the welding device and the welding material to create the heat to make the weld. There are several different styles of arc welding including TIG welding. There is also gas metal arc welding, which is commonly referred to as MIG welding, shield metal arc welding, popular because of its simplicity and accessibility, and flux cored arc welding that fall into this category.

TIG welding is a form of arc welding.

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, is the proper or at least technical term for TIG welding. GTAW isn't nearly as convenient and cool sounding as TIG though, we seem to like our acronyms to at least sound like real words if they can't actually be one. Anyway, a consensus seems to have formed to go with TIG rather than gtaw to identify this process, and a worthwhile and efficient process it is.

Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding uses a non consumable tungsten electrode along with an inert gas to perform welding jobs. The gas most commonly used is argon though for some materials helium is preferred. The purpose the gas serves is to shield the materials from contaminants like oxygen or water vapour. This is why it is sometimes referred to as a shielding gas. A constant current is used to power the process.

Although TIG welding can be a slower process than some other forms of welding it also offers several distinct advantages.

 For one thing, TIG welding can be used to join virtually any two metals together. If a metal can be welded it can be welded using the TIG process. Even otherwise non compatible metals can be welded together.

TIG welding requires less amperage. This helps account for the slowness of the process. On the other hand it also helps to explain why TIG welding is a cleaner method of welding. There is a minimum of slag or left over material to clean up after the process is done.

The equipment used in TIG welding offers some distinct advantages. A foot control mechanism allows the welder to control the amperage and the heat. This enables her or him to produce the precisely correct conditions needed for whatever materials are being used. The welding device used in TIG welding is comparable to a writing pen in size. The small size allows for very precise and detailed work to be done. This is another advantage of TIG welding.

The TIG welding process can be done without the use of fillers. This is very helpful when working with smaller materials.

 Welds made with the TIG method are generally stronger and more durable than welds made with other methods. It is a more versatile and cleaner method and is often well worth the extra time it needs to be completed. The welder has better control and therefore can successfully respond to the most detailed and intricate welding challenges.
 

Welding is a skill that will always be an in demand skill and TIG welding is a type of welding that is one of the most useful of all. Because of this it would seem there will always be a demand for trained and competent TIG welders.