3.5.

0 Welding Torches: Torches for TIG welding, designed and used only for this
process, are available in a variety of types and sizes. The torch conducts the
welding current to the arc and the shielding gas to the arc area. It usually
includes various cables, hoses, and adaptors for connecting the torch to the power,
gas, and cooling supplies. Manual torches should also have a handle so the welder
can manipulate the arc. Figure 9-12shows a manual gas tungsten arc welding torch.
Manual torches can weigh from as little as three ounces (85 grams) to about sixteen
ounces (450 grams), and are rated according to their maximum usable welding
current. These torches can utilize various types and sizes of electrodes and
nozzles while the angle of the electrode to the handle (the head angle) may vary
from torch to torch. The most common head angle is 120 degrees, but some torches
use 90-degree head angles and others have adjustable heads. There are two major
types of welding torches used for TIG: air-cooled and water-cooled. The air-cooled
torches are cooled by the flow of the shielding gas (which means that they really
are gas-cooled). The only air cooling occurs from the heat radiating into the
atmosphere. Water-cooled torches have water circulating through the torch, which
accounts for most of the cooling (Figure 9-13); the shielding gas does the rest.
Air-cooled torches are Figure 9- 12 � Manual TIG torch.Figure 9-13 � Cross-
section view of water-cooled torch.NAVEDTRA 14250A9-17
usually small, lightweight, and less expensive than water-cooled torches, and with
a maximum welding current of 200 amperes, they are used normally for welding thin
metal. These torches are more versatile than water-cooled torches because no water
is needed, but they are for low duty cycle welding because the tungsten electrode
in an air -cooled torch becomes hotter than in a water-cooled torch, which can
transfer tungsten to the weld, thus causing inclusions.Water-cooled torches can
operate continuously up to about 200 amperes, with some especially designed for
welding currents up to 500 amperes. These torches are usually heavier (water hose
and connectors usually come with the torch) and more expensive than the air-cooled
types. There are four types of nozzles or gas cups used for gas tungsten arc
welding: ceramic, metal, fused-quartz, and dual-shield nozzles. They provide
shielding gas to the welding electrode and metal. As a general rule the inside
diameter of the gas nozzle should be three times larger than the electrodes
diameter.Ceramic nozzles are the cheapest and most popular type, but they are
brittle. Ceramic nozzles are the best kind to use with high frequency current to
prevent cross-firing to the nozzle. Metal nozzles can be either the slip-on type or
the water-cooled type. The slip-on type is limited to low current welding, whereas
the water-cooled nozzles are usable with high welding current.Fused-quartz nozzles
are transparent and some welders prefer them for increased visibility, but the
inside of the nozzle can be dulled by vapors when the electrode is contaminated,
which impairs the vision.Dual -shield nozzles allow a small amount of helium or
argon around the electrode to shield the immediate weld puddle. Around the central
part of the nozzle, an annulargrooved section sends an atmosphere of carbon dioxide
or nitrogen to keep air from contact with the central inert-gas shield. The
industry rarely uses the dual-shield nozzle. Inside the nozzle is the gas orifice.
The gas orifice is a series of holes in the end of the collet body around the
electrode that supplies the shielding gas into the nozzle. This gives a more even
flow of shielding gas around the electrode (Figure 9-14). Figure 9-14 �Parts of a
manual torch.NAVEDTRA 14250A9-18
Orbital welding heads are designed specifically to produce high quality welds in
critical welding applications (Figure 9-15). Because companies related to the
aircraft, pharmaceutical, semiconductor, food processing, and related industries
require superior weld quality in terms of bead shape, integrity, and cleanliness,
these advanced systems incorporate computer technology to control the variables in
a weld.Torch oscillation speed and width are independently adjustable and
automatically synchronized to allow precise positioning of filler wire entry into
the weld puddle, and compact wire feeders are controlled electronically for
accuracy and repeatability.