When Plasma Welding Or TIG Welding, Tungsten Electrodes are Used


When using the Tungsten Inert Gas technique for arc welding or plasma welding, tungsten electrodes are used. An inert gas is used to protect the weld pool, electrode, and arc from atmospheric pollution during the process. An electrode made of tungsten is used because it can withstand extremely high temperatures with minimal erosion. After sintering, metallurgical precipitates are used to prepare tungsten electrodes, which are then cut to size. Most tungsten inert gas welding electrodes are made up of a small amount of other metallic oxides, which have advantages like making it easier to start the arc, improving arc stability, boosting the capacity of the current carrying rod, lowering the risk of contamination of the weld, and extending electrode life. The principal oxides used are those of zirconium, thorium, yttrium, and cerium. Add-ons typically range from 1% to 4%. All of the oxides significantly improve arc start, especially when using DC welding.

According to Coherent Market Insights the Tungsten Electrode Market Size, Share, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 2022-2028.

Thorium oxide has been used for a long time because it is effective in terms of long life and heat efficiency. For AC TIG welding, zirconium oxide has mostly been used to weld aluminium. Thorium is the least radioactive element, has a long half-life, and primarily emits alpha particles. However, it also occasionally emits small amounts of beta and gamma radiation. Alpha particles cannot penetrate the skin or paper. In any case, they are dangerous if they are released into the lungs or the digestive tract even if they look like chemical compounds. Therefore, thorium oxide is a least radioactive substance that may result in both a small interior risk from ingestion or inspired breath as well as an exterior risk from radioactivity.

The estimated external radiation hazards for a welder using an electrode for an entire year are very small in comparison to the maximum allowable radiation dose, and it is said that these risks are likely to be negligible. At the time of arcing, there is typically no emission of radioactive materials.

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