Tungsten Electrodes Grades and Properties

For GTAW welding, tungsten electrodes are chosen for its good properties of low electric discharged powder, good welding arc, high temperature resistance, sharpening machinability and low radiation. There are many grades are suitable for the welding, difficult welding objectives and conditions, different grade is applied.

1.0   Pure tungsten electrode is with green tip, competitive price compared with other types, but short lifetime and applied in AC for welding Mg, Al and their alloys.

2.0   Thorium tungsten electrode is with content of 1~4%Th2O3, the most regular grade is WT20 and widely used in DC welding of steel, stainless steel, Ni and Ti metals and alloys. It owns good property and used most widely. However, due to its low radiation, some countries are restricted on using this electrode.

3.0   Cerium tungsten electrode is an environmentally friendly product with good property of arc in low current. It is widely used in welding small parts.

4.0   Zirconium tungsten electrode is with good weldability in AC. During welding, its tip will form a round tip and better arc ability compared with pure type. It is a special type with anti-corrosion during DC welding and for Mg, Al metals and alloys.

5.0   Lanthanum tungsten electrode is with regular grade of WL15 and WL20. It is also an environmental friendly type, which is widely used in AC and DC welding for carbon and stainless steel, Ni and Ti metals and alloys.

Besides the above regular types, there are other types, such as composite tungsten electrode, yttrium tungsten electrode, etc. In order to separate the different types with different content, the standard of ISO6848 has made a categories to show different colors of the tip. With the tip color, the type of electrode can be clearly recognized. Chinatungsten Online has been producing and manufacturing the related electrodes over two decades, if you are in need of electrodes, please contact us directly.

If you have any inquiry of tungsten electrode, please feel free to contact us:

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Tel.: +86 592 5129696/+86 592 5129595

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Tungsten Electrodes Life Time Influencial Factors

There are many influencial factors for tungsten electrodes life time. Both tip shapes and welding current can influence the use time of W electrodes and the quality of welding effect. 

Besides the tip shapes, the suitable current can also influence the lifetime of electrodes. In argon tungsten arc welding, tungsten of a certain diameter has a certain range of welding current. Excessive current will cause the tungsten electrode to burn too quickly, and cause problems such as arc instability and tungsten in the weld. If the current is too small, the arc will be unstable, and defects such as incomplete penetration and lack of fusion will easily occur. The current carrying capacity of tungsten electrode is not only related to their chemical composition, but also affected by many other factors, such as welding torch type, electrode chuck polarity, electrode diameter, power source type, electrode length from the welding torch, welding position , Protect other properties, etc. The commonly used current can refer to the following table:

If you have any inquiry of W electrode, please feel free to contact us:

Email: sales@chinatungsten.com/sales@xiamentungsten.com

Tel.: +86 592 5129696/+86 592 5129595

Fax: +86 592 5129797

 

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Tungsten Electrodes Tip Angle

The tip angle of the tungsten electrodes has the following regular practices:

1.0 Direct current welding below 200A, the front end angle of the electrode is 30~50 degrees, the arc blowing force is the strongest, and the penetration depth is the largest.

2.0 If the current exceeds 200A, the electrode temperature will be higher, and the arc blowing force will increase, and the protection status will deteriorate. The tip of the electrode forms an umbrella shape, but it can still maintain stable welding. The next welding needs to be re-ground and replaced.

3.0 When the current exceeds 250A, the front end of the electrode will produce melting loss. Before welding, the front end of the electrode will be ground out of a certain size platform.

4.0 The heat input of the tungsten electrode is large during DC reverse polarity and AC welding, and the current is not concentrated in a certain area of ​​the anode. At this time, it is most appropriate to grind the shape of the electrode tip into a round shape.

If you have any inquiry of tungsten electrode, please feel free to contact us:

Email: sales@chinatungsten.com/sales@xiamentungsten.com

Tel.: +86 592 5129696/+86 592 5129595

Fax: +86 592 5129797

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Tungsten Electrode Grinding Method

The grinding method of tungsten electrode has an important influence on the stability of the arc, the life time of the electrode, and the shape of the weld. There are two methods: grinding in vertical and horizontal direction. The effect of horizontal grinding is better than that of vertical grinding, which is mainly reflected in the fact that horizontal grinding can prolong the life time of electrode and improve the quality of arc ignition to obtain a stable arc.

In addition to the influence of the texture of the W electrode tip on welding, the shape of the electrode tip is also an important process parameter of argon tungsten arc welding, which should be selected according to the type of current used. The angle of the tip of the electrode will affect its allowable current, arc ignition and arc stabilization performance. When welding with low current, the small diameter and cone angle of the W electrode can make the arc start easy and the arc stable. When welding with high current, increasing the cone angle can avoid overheating and melting of the tip, reduce loss, and prevent the arc from expanding upward and affecting the stability of the cathode spot. The tip angle of the W electrode also has an effect on the weld penetration depth and penetration width. Decreasing the taper angle will increase the penetration depth and decrease the penetration width. On the contrary, the penetration depth will decrease and the penetration width will increase.

If you have any inquiry of tungsten electrodes, please feel free to contact us:

Email: sales@chinatungsten.com/sales@xiamentungsten.com

Tel.: +86 592 5129696/+86 592 5129595

Fax: +86 592 5129797

 

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