Argon, CO2, and Mixes
Welding gases are essential for across the spectrum of welding and cutting applications. The use of gases such as Argon, Carbon Dioxide and various mixtures of gases with minor components added to those two are used as shielding gases. They help to ensure high-quality welds and efficient workflows.
Other gases in our catalogue include Acetylene and Oxygen - for cutting applications. These are less commonly used in the modern era. At one time they were the staple combination for almost all welding and metal cutting before the advent of modern electric arc welding in its various forms. Today oxyacetylene welding tends to be a bit niche. Our range of welding gases just includes the shielding gases for arc welding processes, with the oxy-fuel gases for reserved for cutting.
Shielding gases for TIG and MIG welding
Shielding gases, such as pure Argon gas, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), mixtures of those two and Tri Mix gases containing various amounts of Helium are to prevent air getting at the hot molten metal and chemically degrading the weld. Protecting the weld pool from contamination is the step that allowed welding methods like MIG and TIG to be developed.
These gases are used in Metal Inert Gas and Tungsten Inert Gas welding, to balance the benefits of the individual gases for different techniques in the welding process. Factors such as arc stability, reduced spatter, fluidity of the weld pool and heat transfer all have different effects on improving weld quality. Argon is the best shielding gas but doesn't ionise easily. CO2 ionises fairly easily (allowing the gas to conduct electricity and generate the arc.
Carbon Dioxide also reduces the surface tension of the molten metal, (a bit like soap in water) reducing the tendency of the molten metal to form droplets that then spray out because of the gas pressure. Unfortunately, because the intense heat of the arc dissociates the oxygen and carbon, the weld pool can absorb too much carbon and oxygen causing problems with porous welds, brittleness ad poor fusion of the filler to the sides of the workpieces being joined.
Argon Mixes
Various gas manufacturers have come up with a range of different gas mixtures to try and satisfy the demand for the perfect welding shield gas. Helium tends to be included in these because it is good at heat transfer, but being very light and bouyant, it escapes the weld area rapidly. The welding gas mixtures attempt to balance these different characteristics to suit the material being welded.
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We provide MIG & TIG welding gas bottles, and regulators to ensure your equipment runs smoothly.