TIG welding is one of the most popular welding processes. It produces high-quality welds but also requires a high level of skill.
Ideally, the process works like this: An arc is created between the base metal to be welded and the tungsten electrode. At the point where the arc hits the main metal, a molten weld pool is formed.The weld area and electrode are protected from oxidation or other atmospheric contamination by an inert shielding gas (argon or helium) and normally a filler metal is used, but in some cases, no filler metal is required.
Materials That Can be Welded:
- Mild steel and stainless steel
- Aluminum
- Titanium
- Copper
- Nickel
The robotic TIG process provides advantages for each of these materials. For example, aluminum is traditionally more difficult to weld because it tends to expand quickly and conducts heat well.
Robotic TIG helps control heat input and ensures a strong, reliable weld.
Titanium, has a high melting point and isn’t very resistant to corrosion during the welding process.
Robotic TIG welding can provide precise repeatable procedures to reduce the risk of contamination.
Stainless has a high chromium content, which when TIG welded by hand, can easily become overheated. The robotic TIG welding prevents the formation of an undesirable dark color that negatively affects the appearance.
For heat-resistant alloys, such as nickel, used in aerospace and nuclear, it’s more difficult to achieve 100 percent penetration by hand.Robotic TIG welding provides convenient amperage to control precise penetration.
There are a number of questions to ask when considering a move to robotic TIG welding. They include:
- Is TIG welding an integral part of your manufacturing process? Are you looking to improve productivity and implement high levels of repeatable quality welding?
- Are you experiencing quality problems or competitive cost pressures from your customers?
- Do you have difficulty in hiring qualified TIG welders? Is your turnover of trained TIG welders excessive?
- Do you have stringent quality requirements that could be improved by automating your welding operations? Do you need improved process control for travel speed, heat input and gas coverage?
- Are you talking to a robotic TIG welding integrator that is knowledgeable in the welding process and can provide future support for the robot system as your needs change?
Eurobotik specializes in robotic welding systems, fixturing and pre/post weld processing operations.
Eurobotik has experience with a wide variety of materials, a wide variety of welding processes and has the know-how to solve even the most complex manufacturing challenges.
