The Art of Welding
Though it may appear simple from the outside, welding is an intricate practice that requires years to master. When it comes to welding, you have to burn to learn. Learning good welding technique doesn't come with just reading books or watching videos on youtube. Sure you can learn about safety glasses, helium uses, getting a co2 refill Tulsa, and other important welding techniques. However, learning about something and learning to do something are two very different things.
Currently more than half of the products made in the United States require some form of welding. Welding can be used for something as large as a car or a skyscraper to as small as a computer chip. When it comes to welding techniques, there are many things you should know. Today we are going to go over welding gases and what their specific uses are. That way you will know when you actually need to get a co2 refill Tulsa or not.
Types of Welding Gases
The gas used when welding is very important. The reason it is important is that the gas will affect how deep the weld penetrates the metal welded. It also affects the characteristics of the welding arc and the mechanical properties of the weld (how much stress or tension it can hold, etc.). Because of this, it is important to know your gases (and gas mixtures). So if you need a co2 refill in Tusla, swing on by and we can help get you sorted out and make sure you are gassing the right way for the welds you are working on.
The three most common gases used for welding arcs are Argon, Helium, and Carbon Dioxide (CO2). Each gas can have both positive and negative effects on an arc weld.
Argon: Argon is considered a monatomic gas (meaning it has a single atom) and is used most commonly for GTAW on all materials and GMAW for nonferrous metals. Argon is suitable for welding reactive and refractory metals because it is chemically inert. Argon also has very low thermal conductivity and ionization potential. This means that argon results in a low heat transfer to the areas outside of the arc, creating a narrow arc column. This gives a deep and narrow penetration profile.
Because argon results in a low heat transfer, there is a tendency with inexperienced welders for undercutting and bead rollover.
Helium: Like argon, helium is also monatomic and inert. Helium is commonly used for GTAW on nonferrous materials. However, unlike argon, helium has a high conductivity and ionization potential. This causes welds done with helium to transfer a large amount of heat to the surrounding material. Starting an arc can be difficult when using helium because of the high ionization potential. Usually, a higher flow rate is recommended because of how light the gas is (compared to oxygen). With the exception of pure copper, helium is rarely used for GMAW because it promotes globular transfer.
Carbon Dioxide: CO2 is traditionally used for GMAW short-circuit transfer and FCAW. If you need a co2 refill Tulsa we can help. Because it is so commonly used, co2 refill Tusla is one of our main jobs. CO2 is a compound molecule, unlike the monatomic Helium and Argon. Because of this, CO2 has complex interactions in the arc column. Because of the temperatures encountered in the arc, CO2 will disassociate into CO and O2 which creates a potential for oxidizing the base metal. When the base metal becomes oxidized, dealloying of the weld puddle occurs. Pure CO2 produces a spray transfer in GMAW applications and promotes globular transfer. This can cause splatter to happen easily and frequently.
Hopefully this gives you a little more information about the types of gasses to use in your welds. If you are looking for refills of argon, helium, or co2 refill Tulsa, stop on by. We would also be happy to help talk you through any weld projects you have coming up as well as provide welding supplies and welding gear. We support only the best welding tools.
