A SEMINAR REPORT ON TIG WELDING IN

ALUMINIUM

DEPARTMENT OF MATERIALS AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING

THE MAHARAJ SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY OF BARODA
VADODARA

Submitted By: Submitted To:

Rajeev Ranjan Shukla Dr. S.N. Soman
ME (Welding Technology) Part 1 Professor
Roll No. 288 Materials and Mat. Engg. Dept.
MSU, Vadodara
Contents
1 INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................3
1.2 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH WELDING ALUMINIUM....................................................3
1. Difference in melting points of aluminium and aluminium oxide....................................................3
2. Durability of the oxide layer............................................................................................................4
3. High Coefficient of thermal expansion.............................................................................................4
4. Coefficient of thermal conductivity.................................................................................................4
5. High tendency of porosity in the weld bead....................................................................................4
2. GTAW (GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING).................................................................................................5
2.1 Development.....................................................................................................................................5
2.2 Operation..........................................................................................................................................5
2.3 Advantages of GTAW Process..........................................................................................................6
1. Concentrated Arc.........................................................................................................................6
2. No Slag.........................................................................................................................................6
3. No Sparks or Spatter....................................................................................................................7
4. No Smoke or Fumes.....................................................................................................................7
2.4 Effect of Polarity in GTAW Process..................................................................................................8
1. Direct Current Electrode Negative (DCEN)...................................................................................8
2. Direct Current Electrode Positive (DCEP).....................................................................................8
3. Alternating Current......................................................................................................................9
2.5 Pulsed Current TIG Welding.............................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................11
1 INTRODUCTION

Aluminum and its alloys play crucial and critical role in engineering material field. The predominance of
this is attributed to the excellent corrosion properties owing to the tenacious oxide layer, easy
fabricability and high specific strength coupled with best combination of toughness and formability. In
the construction of pressure vessels and storage tanks, the weldability play unique role in selection of
materials from the various candidate materials. In the domain of joining processes of aluminum and its
alloys, the tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process continues its apex position due to its versatility and
flexibility in adaptation. The superior weld quality obtained in TIG weldments differentiates the TIG
process in comparison with other competing and emerging joining processes. Even after decades of its
inventions, TIG process continued in its marathon race even in aerospace field where the quality and
reliability are vital factors due its inherent advantages. Aluminum fabrication is preferred when
compared to other materials fabrication since it offers a considerable mass advantage to the extent of as
high as 40 % to existing materials. Also repair procedures and methodology are easily to be adopted
&hence it is highly recommended for aerospace applications.

The common fusion welding processes for joining of aluminum and its alloys include TIG welding, Metal
inert gas (MIG) welding, Variable polarity Plasma arc (VPPA) welding and high heat density Electron
beam Welding (EBW). Due to its tenacious oxide layer AC power source is predominately used for TIG
welding process. During the reverse polarity cycle (RP) the removal oxide takes plays. Otherwise high
refractive nature of the aluminum oxide ( melting point more than 2000 degree C) and electrical
insulating nature makes the weld practically difficult. However AC supply needs high heat input which in
turn restricts the weldments in achieving the desired characteristics. Recent trends are employing low
heat input process like Direct current straight polarity(DCSP). Sheet materials are difficult to weld using
DCSP process due to frequent burn throughs and thereby impose limitations. Hence modifications to the
exiting AC process are being studied by the researchers. One of the processes which derives the both
thebenefits of AC and DC welding is AC pulsed TIG welding.

1.2 PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH WELDING ALUMINIUM

Conventional welding methods are not employed for aluminium welding that are very suitable for steels
since there are suitable differences between the properties of two metals. These differences are discussed
below.

1. Difference in melting points of aluminium and aluminium oxide

The oxides of iron all melt close to or below the melting point of the metal whereas aluminium
oxide melts at 2060°C, some 1400°C above the melting point of aluminium. This has important
 implications for the welding process as will be discussed later, since it is essential to remove and
disperse this oxide film before and during welding in order to achieve the required weld quality.

2. Durability of the oxide layer

The oxide film on aluminium is durable, highly tenacious and self healing. This gives the
aluminium alloys excellent corrosion resistance, enabling them to be used in expose applications
without additional protection. Hence for aluminium welding it is of utmost necessity that the
oxide layer is properly removed for achieving proper fusion between the weld metals.

3. High Coefficient of thermal expansion

The coefficient of thermal expansion of aluminium is approximately twice that of steel which can
mean unacceptable buckling and distortion during welding.

4. Coefficient of thermal conductivity

The coefficient of thermal conductivity of aluminium is six times that of steel. The result of this
is that the heat source for welding aluminium needs to be far more intense and concentrated
than that for steel. This is particularly so for thick sections, where the fusion welding processes
can produce lack of fusion defects if heat is lost too rapidly.

5. High tendency of porosity in the weld bead

The hydrogen solubility of aluminum increases almost twenty times as the material makes the
transition from solid to liquid state and continues to increase as the temperature increases
Hydrogen absorbed during its molten state is forced out of solution as the aluminum cools and
changes to its solid state. The hydrogen is trapped in bubbles and cannot effectively be removed
from the weld. As the hydrogen comes out of solution, it can be a source of porosity or voids
that can connect to form leak paths in a vacuum environment. The molten-solid hydrogen
solubility ratio for aluminum is 36 times higher than for iron. This makes aluminum welds much
more sensitive to this source of porosity than those of stainless steel. Hydrogen contamination
usually comes from moisture or oil (hydrocarbons) on the surface being welded. The parts to be
welded must be cleaned well in a detergent bath and dried before welding.

The above mentioned factors clearly indicate that conventional processes like MMAW process which is
extensively used for fabrication work cannot be employed for aluminium welding. Hence, during second
world war, TIG welding process was developed for welding of aluminium and its alloys.
2. GTAW (GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING)

Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), also known as tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding, is an arc welding
process that uses a non consumable tungsten electrode to produce the weld. The weld area is protected
from atmospheric contamination by a shielding gas (usually an inert gas such as argon), and a filler metal
is normally used, though some welds, known as autogenous welds, do not require it. A constant-current
welding power supply produces energy which is conducted across the arc through a column of highly
ionized gas and metal vapors known as a plasma.

2.1 Development

Welding of non-ferrous materials like aluminum and magnesium was difficult because these metals
reacted rapidly with the air, resulting in porous and dross-filled welds. Processes using flux-covered
electrodes did not satisfactorily protect the weld area from contamination. To solve the problem,
bottled inert gases were used in the beginning of the 1930s. A few years later, a direct current, gas-
shielded welding process emerged in the aircraft industry for welding magnesium.

2.2 Operation

The necessary heat for Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (TIG) is produced by an electric arc maintained
between a non consumable tungsten electrode and the part to be welded. The heat-affected zone, the
molten metal, and the tungsten electrode are all shielded from the atmosphere by a blanket of inert gas
fed through the GTAW torch. Inert gas is that which is inactive, or deficient in active chemical properties.
The shielding gas serves to blanket the weld and exclude the active properties in the surrounding air. It
does not burn, and adds nothing to or takes anything from the metal. Inert gases such as argon and
helium do not chemically react or combine with other gases. They possess no odor and are transparent,
permitting the welder maximum visibility of the arc. In some instances a small amount of reactive gas
such as hydrogen can be added to enhance travel speeds. The GTAW process can produce temperatures
of up to 35,000° F/ 19,426° C. The torch contributes only heat to the workpiece. If filler metal is required
to make the weld, it may be added manually in the same manner as it is added in the oxyacetylene
welding process. There are also a number of filler metal feeding systems available to accomplish the task
automatically. Figure 1.1 shows the essentials of the manual GTAW process.
 Fig. 1 Connections of TIG Welding

2.3 Advantages of GTAW Process

The greatest advantage of the GTAW process is that it will weld more kinds of metals and metal alloys
than any other arc welding process. TIG can be used to weld most steels including stainless steel, nickel
alloys such as Monel and Inconel, titanium, aluminum, magnesium, copper, brass, bronze, and even
gold. GTAW can also weld dissimilar metals to one another such as copper to brass and stainless to mild
steel.

1. Concentrated Arc

The concentrated nature of the GTAW arc permits pin point control of heat input to the
workpiece resulting in a narrow heat-affected zone. A high concentration of heat is an advantage
when welding metals with high heat conductivity such as aluminum and copper. A narrow heat-
affected zone is an advantage because this is where the base metal has undergonea change due
to the superheating of the arc and fast cooling rate. The heat-affected zone is where the welded
joint is weakest and is the area along the edge of a properly made weld that would be expected
to break under a destructive test.

2. No Slag

There is no requirement for flux with this process; therefore, there is no slag to obscure the
welder’s vision of the molten weld pool. The finished weld will not have slag to remove between
passes. Entrapment of slag in multiple pass welds is seldom seen.
 3. No Sparks or Spatter

In the GTAW process there is no transfer of metal across the arc. There are no molten globules of
spatter to contend with and no sparks produced if the material being welded is free
of contaminants. Also under normal conditions the GTAW arc is quiet without the usual cracks,
pops, and buzzing of Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW or Stick) and Gas Metal Arc Welding
(GMAW or MIG). Generally, the only time noise will be a factor is when a pulsed arc, or AC
welding mode is being used.

4. No Smoke or Fumes

The process itself does not produce smoke or injurious fumes. If the base metal contains coatings
or elements such as lead, zinc, nickel or copper that produce fumes, these must be contended with
as in any fusion welding process on thes materials. If the base metal contains oil, grease, paint or
other contaminants, smoke and fumes will definitely be produced as the heat of the arc burns them
away. The base material should be cleaned to make the conditions most desirable.

Hence the use of TIG Welding eliminates the main problems occurring in Aluminium Welding. As
shielding gas is used at the first place without any use of fluxes or electrode coatings; the weld pool is
very well insulated by the surrounding thus preventing any contamination of oxides and hence very nice
weldment is obtained.

Fig. 3 Basic Principle of Obtaining Shielding of the Weld Pool

2.4 Effect of Polarity in GTAW Process

The polarity of the welding torch and the work used have a considerable effect on various factors like
weld bead thickness, weld bead penetration, heat input, etc. Usually there are three conventional power
source used in TIG welding. These are discussed as under.

1. Direct Current Electrode Negative (DCEN)

Direct current electrode negative is used for TIG welding of practically all metals. The torch is
connected to the negative terminal of the power source and the work lead is connected to the
positive terminal. Power sources with polarity switches will have the output terminals marked
electrode and work. Internally, when the polarity switch is set for DCEN, this will be the
connection. When the arc is established, electron flow is from the negative electrode to the
positive workpiece. In a DCEN arc, approximately 70% of the heat will be concentrated at the
positive side of the arc and the greatest amount of heat is distributed into the workpiece. This
accounts for the deep penetration obtained when using DCEN for GTAW. The electrode receives
a smaller portion of the heat energy and will operate at a lower temperature than when using
alternating current or direct current electrode positive polarity. This accounts for the higher
current carrying capacity of a given size tungsten electrode with DCEN than with DCEP or AC. At
the same time the electrons are striking the work, the positively charged gas ions are attracted
toward the negative electrode.

2. Direct Current Electrode Positive (DCEP)

When welding with direct current electrode positive (DCEP), the torch is connected to the
positive terminal on the welding power source and the ground or work lead is connected to
the negative terminal. Power sources with polarity switches will have the output terminals
marked electrode and work. Internally, when the polarity switch is set for DCEP, this will
be the connection. When using this polarity, the electron flow is still from negative to positive,
however the electrode is now the positive side of the arc and the work is the negative side.
The electrons are now leaving the work. Approximately 70% of the heat will be concentrated at
the positive side of the arc; therefore, the greatest amount of heat is distributed into the
electrode. Since the electrode receives the greatest amount of heat and becomes very hot, the
electrode must be very large even when low amperages are used, to prevent overheating
and possible melting. The workpiece receives a smaller amount of the total heat resulting in
shallow penetration. Another disadvantage of this polarity is that due to magnetic forces the arc
will sometimes wander from side to side when making a fillet weld when two pieces of metal
are at a close angle to one another. This phenomena is similar to what is known as arc blow and
can occur in DCEN, but DCEP polarity is more susceptible.

At this point, one might wonder how this polarity could be of any use in GTAW. The answer lies
in the fact that some nonferrous metals, such as aluminum and magnesium, quickly form an
 oxide coating when exposed to the atmosphere. This material is formed in the same way rust
accumulates on iron. It’s a result of the interaction of the material with oxygen. The oxide that
forms on aluminum, however, is one of the hardest materials known to man. Before aluminum
can be welded, this oxide, because it has a much higher melting point than the base metal, must
be removed. The oxide can be removed by mechanical means like wire brushing or with a
chemical cleaner, but as soon as the cleaning is stopped the oxides begin forming again. It is
advantageous to have cleaning done continuously while the welding is being done. The oxide
can be removed by the welding arc during the welding process when direct current electrode
positive is used. The positively charged gas ions which were flowing from the workpiece to the
tungsten when welding with DCEN are now flowing from the tungsten to the negative workpiece
with DCEP. They strike the workpiece with sufficient force to break up and chip away the brittle
aluminum oxide, and provide what is called a cleaning action. Because of this beneficial oxide
removal, this polarity would seem to be excellent for welding aluminum and magnesium. There
are,however, some disadvantages.

3. Alternating Current

When using alternating current sine waves for welding, the terms electrode positive (reverse
polarity) and electrode negative (straight polarity) which were applied to the workpieceand
electrode lose their significance. There is no controlover the half cycles and you have to use
what the power source provides. The current is now alternating or changing its direction of flow
at a predetermined set frequency and with no control over time or independent amplitude.
During a complete cycle of alternating current, there is theoretically one half cycle of electrode
negative and one half cycle of electrode positive. Therefore, during a cycle there is a time when
the work is positive and the electrode is negative. And there’s a time when the work is negative
and the electrode is positive.
 Fig. 3 Effect of polarity on penetration and weld bead geometry

2.5 Pulsed Current TIG Welding

In the pulsed-current mode, the welding current rapidly alternates between two levels. The higher
current state is known as the pulse current, while the lower current level is called the background
current. During the period of pulse current, the weld area is heated and fusion occurs. Upon dropping to
the background current, the weld area is allowed to cool and solidify. Pulsed-current GTAW has a
number of advantages, including lower heat input and consequently a reduction in distortion and
warpage in thin workpieces. In addition, it allows for greater control of the weld pool, and can increase
weld penetration, welding speed, and quality. A similar method, manual programmed GTAW, allows the
operator to program a specific rate and magnitude of current variations, making it useful for specialized
applications.
REFERENCES

1. Goepnar George E; TIG Welding of the aluminium alloy for APS ring.
2. Kumar Sanjeev; Experimental investigations on pulsed TIG welding of aluminium plates.
3. Naidu T. Himadri; Process Optimization for Tungsten Inert Gas Welding to improve mechanical
and corrosion resistance properties of stainless steels.
4. The welding of Aluminium MIG and TIG fusion, The Aluminium Federation of South Africa
5. Aluminium Welding , BOC