tig welding
TIG welding (Tungsten Inert Gas) also known as GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) is an arc welding process that uses a tungsten electrode to produce the weld. The weld area is protected from atmospheric contamination by an inert shielding gas such as argon or helium. A filler metal is normally used however some applications only require a “fuse” weld in which no filler rod is applied. GTAW is most commonly used to weld thin sections of stainless steel and non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium alloys. The process allows greater control over the weld providing stronger, higher quality welds. More so than other processes such as stick (SMAW) or MIG (GMAW) gas metal arc welding. TIG welding is comparatively more complex and difficult to master. The process is also significantly slower than most other welding techniques but is justified for its superior weld quality.
