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WWW - Abellolinde.es - Internet - LG.LG - Esp - en - Images - Linde Welding Gases303 - 54467302 - 60065
Contents.
CORGON®, CRONIGON®, LASGON®, LINDATA®, LINFAST®, LIPROTECT®, LISY®tec and VARIGON® are registered trademarks of
the Linde Group.
Linde Gas is part of the Linde Group, a world- the essence. Explosive growth in the variety of
wide operation with two business divisions, modern welding materials, rapid developments
Gas & Engineering and Material Handling, in the field of electronics and an informed
each of which occupies a leading market awareness of occupational health and safety
position. As such, we are fully committed to also make new demands on shielding gases for
the Group’s claim to leadership. Our company’s welding. Within this context, productive GMA
guiding principle – to be the “best in class” welding of nickel alloys as well as arc stabiliza-
in every respect – provides us with the nec- tion through active doping in the shielding gas
essary orientation in much the same way as for aluminum welding are just two examples of
a compass needle indicates the way ahead. our successful development work.
This claim is expressed, on the one hand, by As a leading supplier of technology, we have
innovations at the product level and, on the a special responsibility to our customers. We
other, by the commitment of our employees continue to uphold the traditions of our found-
working in all areas, ranging from production er, Carl von Linde, for whom ongoing develop-
to service. It is this commitment that enables us ment and progress were a way of life.
to earn the confidence of more than 1.5 million
customers worldwide. The successful combina- We owe our great potential to decades of ex-
tion of outstanding engineering services and pertise, which continues to be translated into
market-oriented entrepreneurship afford us the specific product innovations developed in close
strength to consolidate our leading position on collaboration with our customers. Let our ex-
a competitive global market. pertise help you to invest in new markets, prod-
ucts and people. Innovations are what we do
Today, change is one of the few constants that best. Day after day.
shape the economy, markets and commercial
activities. Nothing stands still and speed is of
4 The two product lines – Competence Line and Performance Line
Competence Line
Reliability
Quality
Versatility
User-friendliness
The two product lines – Competence Line and Performance Line 5
In order to achieve both technically and Influence the arc – both electrically and Our customers continue to demand specialized
economically high-quality weld seams, thermally solutions to keep pace with the growing re-
everything involved in the process – material, Determine viscosity and surface tension – quirements in the field of welding. Advances
equipment, process gas and welding tech- both of the drop and of the pool made in equipment and materials science, new
nology – has to do its part. This requires a Control wetting properties measuring technologies and simulation tech-
new attitude towards our products. Shielding Control penetration, seam geometry and niques require state-of-the-art, innovative gas
gases are much more than “welding con- seam surface products. Expensive specialized materials re-
sumable commodity”, they also: React metallurgically with filler metal and quire customized solutions – sometimes even at
pool a molecular level. Gases require the same di-
Influence radiation, heat transfer and arc versification as materials and joining processes.
efficiency To improve product transparency and to make
Determine metal transfer and energy selecting a product easier, we will be offering
distribution in the arc two product lines in the future. Both lines con-
Influence certain pollutant emissions tain shielding gases for every conceivable ma-
terial and process combination.
These properties have to be optimally utilized in
order to reap the full potential of gases in the
welding process. Through our understanding of
how this tool functions, we are able to make an
active contribution towards the added value in
our customers’ production processes.
Performance Line
Greater output
Improved quality
Specialization
Customer-specific
6 The Linde welding gases at a glance
Competence Line Performance Line EN 439 Carbon Oxygen Nitrogen Helium Hydrogen Argon
dioxide
Vol.- % Vol.- % Vol.- % Vol.- % Vol.- % Vol.- %
Argon (Ar) I1 100
Helium (He) I2 100
Carbon dioxide (CO2) C1 100
CORGON® 10 M21 10 balance
CORGON® 10He30 M21 (1) 10 30 balance
CORGON® 18 M21 18 balance
CORGON® 25He25 M21 (1) 25 25 balance
CORGON® S5 M22 5 balance
CORGON® S8 M22 8 balance
CORGON® S3He25 M22 (1) 3,1 25 balance
CORGON® 5S4 M23 5 4 balance
CORGON® 13S4 M24 13 4 balance
CRONIGON® 2 M12 2,5 balance
CRONIGON® 2He20 M12 (1) 2 20 balance
®
CRONIGON 2He50 M12 (2) 2 50 balance
CRONIGON® S1 M13 1 balance
CRONIGON® S3 M13 3 balance
®
CRONIGON Ni10 M11 (1) 0,05 30 2 balance
CRONIGON® Ni20 M12 (2) 0,05 50 balance
CRONIGON® Ni30 S M12 (1) + 5N2 0,05 5 5 – 10 balance
VARIGON® N2 S I1 + 2N2 2 balance
VARIGON® N3 S I1 + 3N2 3 balance
VARIGON® N2H1 S R1 + 2N2 2 1 balance
VARIGON® N2He20 S I3 + 2N2 2 20 balance
VARIGON® He15 I3 15 balance
VARIGON® He30 I3 30 balance
VARIGON® He50 I3 50 balance
VARIGON® He70 I3 70 balance
VARIGON® He90 I3 90 balance
VARIGON® S M13 0,03 balance
VARIGON® He30S M13 (1) 0,03 30 balance
VARIGON® H2 R1 2 balance
VARIGON® H5 bis H15 R1 5 – 15 balance
Forming gas 95/5 – 70/30 F2 balance 5 – 30
Nitrogen (N2) F1 100
Note: • In addition to the above-mentioned shielding gases, other industrial gas mixtures can also be supplied to meet customer
requirements.
• Subject to change due to continuing development and in the service of our customers.
8 Complex properties for specific uses
An in-depth understanding of the “internal Dissociation and ionization energy Chemical reactivity and metallurgical impact
properties” of gas components and their Ionization occurs directly in the case of the CO2 and O2 are both active, oxidizing gases.
interaction in specialized mixtures is essen- monatomic inert gases, Ar and He. Diatomic or Especially at high temperatures, they react
tial for successful use of process gases in polyatomic gases, such as H2 or CO2, have to be quickly with the materials present to form
specific welding applications. The welding initially dissociated in the arc, a process which oxides. In appropriate quantities, metal oxides
arc itself, a highly efficient but complex tool, requires additional energy. The less energy can improve arc stability; this phenomenon is
consists largely of different amounts of ion- required for these processes, the easier it is to put to good use, for example, in the VARIGON®
ized gas and metal vapor. This means the ignite the arc. If components that are compara- HeS and CRONIGON® Ni series specialty gases.
physical properties of the gas have a direct tively difficult to ionize, such as He or CO2, are If larger percentages of active gases are present,
and immediate impact on the arc. In addi- present, the welding voltage has to be increased for example, when MAG welding structural
tion, the process gases also contact the hot accordingly. However, this additional electrical steel, the resulting increase in oxidation gener-
metal, a highly reactive area, in which the energy is released again in the form of recom- ates additional heat. The product of oxidation,
chemical and metallurgical effects of the bination energy, which can both improve heat otherwise known as “slag” or “silicate”, is often
gases also play an important role. The fol- input and increase welding speed. found on the surface of the seam. O2 as a shield-
lowing criteria serve as examples only and ing gas component has a greater oxidizing ef-
do not claim to be complete. Thermal conductivity fect than the same quantity of CO2. If quality
Some of the arc’s heat is transferred to the demands require lower levels of these deposits,
workpiece via the plasma or gas flow. Especially the active gas component in the CORGON®/
at high temperatures, the two components He CRONIGON® series can be reduced. However,
and H2 can significantly improve process effi- this should only be done if requirements re-
ciency. Good thermal conductivity has a positive garding fusion, penetration and the number of
effect on seam geometry, wetting, degassing of pores are taken into consideration. In the case
the molten pool – and on welding speed. of a higher CO2 content, carbon pickup may
occur, depending on the metal being used.
Complex properties for specific uses 9
Dissociation and ionization energy of the gas components Thermal conductivity of the gases
Parameters for ignition properties, welding voltage and arc energy Heat transfer from the arc to the base metal depends on the thermal conductivity of
the different gases. Helium and hydrogen offer particularly high thermal conductivity
Ionization energy, 1st stage Dissociation energy values.
H2
0.08 He
Nitrogen (N2) 9.8 14.5 CO2
O2
Oxygen (O2) 5.1 13.6 Ar
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000
[eV] Temperature [°C]
N2 is considered a low-activity gas, i.e. Ar and He are the inert gases used in welding.
whether or not reactions take place depends on Since they do not react with any metal, they
the metal and the process conditions. An exam- can be used with all metals that can be fusion
ple of positive reactivity is the austenitizing welded.
effect of VARIGON® N gases when TIG welding
fully austenitic materials or duplex steels. In Other relevant properties
contrast, the pore-forming or embrittling effect Relative density: influences the position-
of N2 with MAG welding steel is detrimental. dependent effectiveness of the shielding gas
Heat transfer coefficient: He can transfer heat
H2 is unique as a particularly effective reducing to a metal surface much more effectively
component for arc welding. It can be used, for than Ar
example, in TIG/PAW welding and forming of
austenitic stainless steels with VARIGON® H Purity levels and mixing accuracies
gases, in other words, in cases in which it is Shielding gases are standardized in EN 439 and
important to prevent oxidation of very expen- ISO 14175. These standards specify, amongst
sive and sensitive metals. Owing to their supe- other things, the minimum quality requirements Use of scientific research methods to investigate plas-
rior thermal conductivity and additional recom- of the components and mixtures. However, ma-physical processes in the arc: section of a spectral
analysis of the MIGp welding process of aluminum with
bination energy, VARIGON® H gases permit depending on the material, process, method
VARIGON® He30S
much higher TIG/PAW welding speeds than and quality requirements, higher qualities may
argon. Unfortunately, these extremely benefi- be necessary. In this case, please contact the
cial properties cannot be used for welding all specialists at Linde.
metals. For example, H2 leads to pore formation
in aluminum and to cracks in ferritic steels.
Thus, H2’s compatibility with a given material
always has to be tested.
Competence Line
CORGON® 10 CORGON® 18
CORGON® S5 CORGON® S8
CORGON® 5S4 CORGON® 13S4
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Performance Line
CORGON® 10He30 CORGON® 25He25
CORGON® S3He25
The collective term “structural steel” refers However, a lower level of active gases results in Whether single-wire, double-wire, strip elec-
to unalloyed and low-alloyed steels, fine- lower heat input, which can jeopardize fusion trode or tandem, the targeted use of CORGON®
grained structural steels that are suitable for penetration and welding performance. In this He mixtures can produce outstanding results
welding, including tubular and mild steels, respect, helium admixtures have proven effec- with very little effort.
unalloyed high-grade steels, as well as other tive in many applications.
alloyed steels that are not classified as stain- The shielding gas for metal-cored wires is se-
less steels. The choice of the most suitable A He content of 20–40 % can improve heat lected according to the same criteria as those
shielding gas depends mainly on the type of transfer from the arc to the component, how- for solid-wire electrodes. These cored wires are
filler metal, the material thickness and sur- ever, without the known disadvantages of the flexible with regard to special alloying compo-
face condition of the base metals, the de- oxidizing components. The increased efficiency nents and are characterized by a generally soft
gree of mechanization, working position, arc of CORGON® He gases can be used either for arc. Thanks to the powder filling, the power
type and the requirements of the welded achieving higher welding speeds or for improv- required for melting is lower than at comparable
joint. ing quality, such as better gap-bridging or for melt-down rate with solid-wire electrodes; this
reducing the risk of lack of fusion. can also lead to a lower heat input.
MAG welding with solid-wire electrodes and gas
mixtures, consisting of Argon and CO2, such as MAG high-performance welding is defined in Slag-forming flux-cored wires offer advantages
CORGON® 18, is by far the most common method DVS leaflet 0909-1 as a process with a deposition for certain tasks. For example, when welding out
for joining structural steels. Owing to their rate of greater than 8 kg/h; this corresponds to of position, a quickly solidifying slag can act as a
unbeatable advantages in terms of quality and wire feed rates of more than 15 m/min with backing. By carefully defining the filling compo-
economy, gas mixtures are now much more a 1.2-mm solid-wire electrode. The LINFAST® sition, the chemical and metallurgical reactions
widely used than pure CO2. Thus, the general concept offers application-specific, sometimes in the weld pool can be affected. As a rule,
rule of thumb applies to how much active gas, patented solutions in this highly productive CORGON® 18 or CO2 is used; lower levels of CO2
CO2 or O2, should be used: as little as possible field. The optimal process, arc type, and shield- are not recommended since penetration can
and as much as necessary. Due to the increasing ing gas type and supply for the task at hand become critical.
degree of mechanization and the greater use of should be selected based on the specific re-
pulse techniques, mixed gases with a reduced quirements.
CO2 or O2 content are becoming increasingly
popular.
CORGON®: MAG-welding of structural steel 11
Influence of gas components on penetration and seam surface: as an example, a fillet weld on a T-joint, sheet thickness 10 mm
Fully mechanized MAGp–robot weldments with constant travel- and wire feed speed
Competence Line
CRONIGON® 2 CRONIGON® S1
CRONIGON® S3
Performance Line
CRONIGON® 2He20 CRONIGON® 2He50
The shielding gases used for stainless steels The carbon content of the weld metal is a key Application instructions
differ from those used in MAG welding of unal- factor in ensuring resistance to intergranular Austenitic and ferritic stainless steels are highly
loyed steels since they contain much less active corrosion. In stainless steels with particularly suitable for welding in the short and spray arc.
gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. This low carbon contents, referred to as ELC steels, The spray arc range starts at wire feed speeds
is necessary to prevent excessive oxidation of the carbon content also of the weld metal about 20 % lower than in welding of unalloyed
the passive layer responsible for the corrosion should not exceed 0.03 %. To prevent unac- steels. The pulse technique offers certain ad-
resistant properties of these metals. It is impor- ceptably high carbon pickup from the shielding vantages for welding high-alloyed materials,
tant to remember that the oxidation properties gas, the CO2 content of the above-mentioned particularly with solid wire. It guarantees stable,
of oxygen are much greater than those of CO2. products should be limited to a maximum of almost spatter-free metal transfer throughout
However, welding in an inert atmosphere, for 2.5 %. If welding is performed correctly, this the performance range.
example, with argon, is not recommended prevents sensitization to intergranular corro-
either since the pure argon arc is instable and sion. The graph on the right illustrates the ten- Due to their helium content, Linde’s Perfor-
penetration is significantly decreased. dency of various shielding gases to cause the mance Line process gases offer improved heat
carburization or decarburization of the weld input and a higher arc temperature. Conse-
metal. quently, it is possible to further increase the
productivity of the MAG process. However, even
These guidelines apply if a solid wire or a metal- if the welding speed is not increased, highly
cored wire is used as filler metal. However, if a viscous materials, such as high-alloy CrNiMo
slag-forming flux-cored wire is used, the shield- steels and nickel-based alloys, also benefit
ing gas recommended by the manufacturer from a higher energy input; fluidity and thus
should be used. An EN439-M21 shielding gas is also wetting are improved considerably.
usually recommended for these wires, e.g.
CORGON® 18, since the slag that forms prevents
oxidation or carbon pickup.
CRONIGON®: MAG welding of stainless steels 13
For austenitic-ferritic stainless steels, referred Carbon pickup and loss with different shielding gases
to as duplex steels, the same gases are recom- Carbon content of the wire electrode: 0.016 %
mended as for austenites. If duplex steel is
used in a particularly corrosive environment, 0.07
argon-oxygen mixtures are not suitable. Due %C 0.065
to their higher oxidation properties, these gas
0.06
mixtures would unnecessarily reduce the poten-
tial for corrosion resistance.
0.05
0.04 0.039
0.03 ELC-limit
0.026
0.022
0.02
0.016
0.014 0.016
0.01
CORGON® S8 CRONIGON® S1 CRONIGON® 2 CORGON® 5S4 CORGON® 18 CO2
Competence Line
Argon VARIGON® S
Performance Line
VARIGON® He VARIGON® HeS
MIG welding of aluminum can be performed The pulsed arc method can be further sub- Argon is by far the most frequently used shield-
in the short, spray or pulsed arc. The advan- divided into direct current pulse and alternating ing gas for MIG welding of aluminum. It has
tages of the pulsed technique are that spat- current pulse since power equipment designed impressive all-round properties and can be
ter formation is reduced and a wire elec- for both types of processes are now available. used for all types of arcs and in all positions.
trode with the next largest diameter can be Welding with pulsed AC enables targeted distri- Further improvement can be achieved by using
used. The thicker wire is easier to feed and, bution of the arc energy between the work- VARIGON® S, in which the inert argon is doped
at identical melt-down rate, has a smaller piece and the wire electrode. This technology with small quantities of active components to
surface area. Consequently, fewer impurities expands the range of application of classical stabilize the arc. The benefits are improved
and less moisture are introduced into the MIG welding of aluminum to include thinner seam appearance, more uniform weld rippling
weld seam via the wire. components. It is also much easier to bridge and lower spatter ejection.
gaps and to use thicker wire electrodes.
VARIGON®: MIG welding of aluminum alloys 15
Enhancing performance does not always just mean faster welding speeds
Examples of potential quality improvements through the use of specialty gases
1.5 mm gap bridging at the lap joint on 1 mm sheets, Directional stability of the MIGp arc with VARIGON® Arc stabilization with VARIGON® S (left) in comparison
MIG-AC welded with VARIGON® He15S and 1.2 mm wire He30S facilitates thick-thin joints, here 3 mm to 8 mm with argon (right)
electrode
Performance Line gases are used in cases in Note on MIG welding with doped Note on MIG welding with shielding gases
which higher-quality seams and increased shielding gases containing helium
welding performance are required. All gases in
the VARIGON® He and VARIGON® HeS series Arc voltage Arc voltage
contain helium, which makes the arc hotter, When using an O2-doped gas the arc voltage A higher helium content requires a higher arc
broader and more stable. can be adjusted to a lower setting with the voltage at identical arc length.
same arc length and a constant wire feed
Benefits speed. Seam geometry
Reduced porosity A greater helium content results in a broader
Improved penetration, prevents lack of fusion and flatter seam at the same welding speed.
Higher welding speeds The “argon finger” is less pronounced and fu-
Better gap bridging sion penetration is rounder and deeper. This is
Less/no preheating of thick-walled advantageous, particularly in the case of dy-
components namic loads.
The more uniform heat input and better di-
rectional stability, facilitates the welding of Shielding gas volume
components of different thermal conductivity, Helium is lighter than air. This has to be taken
for example, thick-thin joins or cast nodes into account both when measuring throughput
Reduced notch effect and better distribution and when adjusting the minimum shielding gas
of forces thanks to wider, flatter seams volume.
Competence Line
Argon
CRONIGON® S1 CRONIGON® 2
Performance Line
VARIGON® He VARIGON® HeS
Gas metal arc brazing (GMA brazing) is an The right choice of shielding gas can further The shielding gas has a varying effect on the
alternative method for joining primarily thin boost these positive properties. In addition to final brazing result, depending on the type of
(t < 3.0 mm) sheets that have been coated the shielding gas, other key factors influencing solder used and the base metal or its surface
for corrosion protection. This method offers the quality of the join are the base metal, the condition. Argon is the universal shielding gas
considerable advantages over MAG welding type and thickness of the coating, and the alloy for GMA brazing since it can be used with all
since an alloy metal with a lower melting used for the filler metal. solders, for all types of arcs and in all positions.
point than the base metal is used as filler It offers impressive all-round properties and a
metal. Both short and pulsed arc GMA brazing are low heat input. The disadvantages of argon are
possible. Pulsed arc brazing can be further a somewhat unstable arc and a tendency to-
Lower heat input classified as DC pulsed and AC pulsed brazing wards porosity. Although the very small gas
Less burn-off of the coating since power sources enabling brazing with an pockets do not have a negative effect on the
Corrosion-resistant, copper-based filler metal alternating current have now been available strength of the join, they appear when the
Much less spatter formation for some time. AC pulsed brazing enables an seam is being polished. This results in extensive
Almost no seam corrosion accurate distribution of energy between the finishing work, particularly in visible areas.
Reduced distortion workpiece and the wire electrode. This is even
Good gap bridging gentler on the coating and results in even When brazing coated sheets with SG-CuSi3, the
better gap bridging. result can be improved by adding active com-
ponents. CRONIGON® S1, in particular, but also
CRONIGON® 2, stabilize the arc and reduce
porosity. The slightly increased heat input in
comparison with argon translates into higher
process speeds and improved wetting.
Shielding gases for arc brazing 17
Argon CRONIGON® S1
When brazing with CuAl alloys, the amount of Low melting point of the copper solder enables lower heat input and thus lower
active component content in the shielding gas Zn vaporization with coated sheets
has to be restricted. However, here too, adding Melting point Boiling point
specific quantities of inert helium can also im-
[°C] Melting point
prove the final results. Products in the VARIGON®
of wire electrodes
He and VARIGON® HeS series improve seam 1,600
appearance, offer outstanding flow and wetting 1,460
1,450 ca. 1,450 °C R G3Si1
properties and, owing to a much higher brazing 1,400
speed, also result in a lower heat input.
1,200
Performance Line shielding gases are also the
gases of choice for soldering stainless steel.
ca. 1,035 °C R CuAI8
Since no zinc vapors are produced that disturb 1,000
ca. 960 °C R CuSi3
the arc, the above-mentioned advantages are 907
even more pronounced. 800
660
Tungsten inert gas (TIG) or plasma arc (PA braz-
600
ing) brazing are also possible. Since the tung-
sten electrode cannot be used with gases with
420
a high active-component content, only inert 400
argon or gases in the VARIGON® He /VARIGON®
HeS series can be used.
200
Structural steel Stainless steel Aluminum Zinc
18 VARIGON®: TIG welding
Competence Line
Argon VARIGON® N
VARIGON® S
Performance Line
VARIGON® H VARIGON® N2H1
VARIGON® He VARIGON® N2He20
VARIGON® HeS
TIG – the arc method for top quality results, also in the
aerospace industry
In TIG welding, the arc burns between the Application advice The doped gases VARIGON® He30S and
workpiece and a non-consumable tungsten The addition of hydrogen or helium is especially VARIGON® S contain argon or helium, as well as
electrode. To protect the electrode and molten beneficial to heat distribution and heat transfer a very small amount of oxygen for additional
pool from oxidation, both are purged with in the arc, particularly with TIG welding. The arc stabilization. These gases can greatly im-
an inert shielding gas, generally argon. This Performance Line offers a broad range of special- prove welding results, particularly when using
welding process is suitable for all fusion-weld- ty gases that, owing to their hydrogen or helium an alternating current for TIG welding aluminum.
able metals. The type of current, polarity and content, enable a distinct increase in productivity.
shielding gas used depends on the base The gases in the VARIGON® N series were
®
metal. TIG welding can be carried out both The products in the VARIGON H series are developed especially for TIG welding duplex
with and without filler metal. primarily recommended for TIG welding of steels or fully austenitic materials. The addition
austenitic stainless steels and some nickel- of nitrogen causes the austenization of the
based alloys. The hydrogen content in the gas weld metal, which is particularly beneficial
permits more energy to be exchanged in the when TIG welding duplex steel without filler
arc. This, in turn, results in deeper penetration metal. These gases have also proven valuable
and/or greater welding speeds. The hydrogen for low-ferrite welding of high-alloy metals in
content may be as much as 15%, although the the chemical industry. It should be noted that,
realistic upper limit for manual welding is 6.5%. due to its hydrogen content, VARIGON® N2H1 is
As a rule, gases with a higher hydrogen content not suitable for duplex steels.
are only recommended for mechanized weld-
ing, since it is more difficult to control the heat
and the pool is very fluid. Gases containing
hydrogen must not be used to weld aluminum
alloys or steels sensitive to hydrogen since this
can lead to greatly increased porosity or embrit-
tlement.
VARIGON® H6 improves speed of welding and penetration VARIGON® S for arc stabilization with aluminum
Manual welding of stainless steel 1.4301, sheet thickness 4 mm Mechanized melt run on oxide-free surface
TIG DC, argon, vs = 13 cm/min TIG DC, VARIGON® H6, vs = 18 cm/min TIG AC, argon TIG AC, VARIGON® S
Competence Line
Argon
Performance Line
VARIGON® H VARIGON® He
Plasma arc welding (PA welding) differs from Two gas flows are required for PA welding: Metals suitable for plasma welding
TIG welding in that the arc is constricted by inner plasma gas and shielding gas. Argon is Unalloyed/low-alloy steels
means of an additional, water-cooled nozzle. generally used as the plasma gas. In rare cases, High-alloyed steels: CrNi and CrNiMo (good
At the same time the electrode is moved argon with a H2 content of up to 2% is also for keyhole methods due to high viscosity of
backwards to the inside of the burner. This used, but it must be compatible with the metal. the melt)
constricted arc has a much greater power The shielding gas is selected according to the Ni, nickel-based alloys
density than a TIG arc. same criteria as for TIG welding. Argon is a very Titanium and its alloys
good all-round gas that can be used with all CuNi alloys, Cu
materials. The use of VARIGON® S when weld- Aluminum and its alloys
ing aluminum stabilizes the arc.
Applications of this welding method include
Performance Line shielding gases are gen- Chemical equipment manufacture
erally used to increase welding performance. Aerospace industry
VARIGON® He gases are suitable for all materi- Vessel construction
als. VARIGON® H gases have been optimized for Food industry
high-alloy stainless steels and VARIGON® HeS Automotive industry
gases for aluminum.
Laser welding (Source: TRUMPF GmbH + Co. KG) At high welding speeds, laser welding offers Different types of lasers are used for laser
targeted heat input and low distortion. welding: CO2 lasers or solid-state lasers
Mostly laser welding is performed without (Nd:YAG, diode, fiber or disc lasers). Shielding
any additional material. However, in some gases are essential for high-quality welds,
cases this may be necessary due to metallur- whatever the laser type. Whereas material
gical reasons or to bridge gaps. Steels, light- considerations determine the choice of shield-
weight metals and thermoplastics are suit- ing gas when using solid-state lasers, when
able for laser welding. using CO2 lasers, the interaction between the
shielding gas and the laser beam also has to
be taken into account.
Competence Line
Argon VARIGON® N
Nitrogen
Performance Line
Forming gas 95/5 – 70/30
VARIGON® H
When subjected to high temperatures and Differentiating between two different Two groups of gases are used for root
atmospheric oxygen, many metals tend to purging methods protection
intense oxidation. The oxides generally ap- In the case of gas displacement, the backing Inert or low-activity gases, such as argon or
pear as temper color, for example, with gas pushes forward the air to be removed, nitrogen (4.6 or higher)
stainless steel or titanium materials. Temper with only little mixing occurring. This principle Inert or low-activity gases with added
colors will greatly impair the corrosion resis- is conceivable, for example, for large vessels. hydrogen
tance of such metals. Furthermore, severe With this method it is very important to take
oxidation will impair the formation of weld the relative density of the backing gas into Thanks to the reducing action of hydrogen,
roots. Thus, in many cases, the root side has account. In a – purely theoretical – ideal-case root-shielding gases containing hydrogen offer
to be protected against oxygen in order to scenario, with this type of purging, only as greater protection against the formation of
ensure optimum corrosion resistance. The much backing gas is used as that of the volume temper colors. However, they are not suitable
careful exclusion of atmospheric oxygen can to be purged. for all metals. The type of gas used for root
prevent oxidation and temper colors. protection primarily depends on the type of
In the case of dilution purging, the backing gas metal of the component to be purged. Steels
is distributed uniformly throughout the area and that are sensitive to hydrogen or highly reactive
mixes with the air to be removed. The purging metals, such as titanium, are generally purged
continues until the amount of residual oxygen with argon. Austenitic stainless steels can be
has fallen below a certain threshold. The amount protected with root shielding gases containing
of shielding gas required is thus several times hydrogen, for example, with gases from the
that of the purging volume. “Forming gas” or the VARIGON® H series.
Gases for root protection 23
1.4
1.3 Ar mixtures
Heavier than air
1.2
1.1
1.0 Air
0.8
0.7 N2 mixtures
0.6
4 8 12 16 20 24
% of H2 by volume TIG seam, root side, with root protection
Competence Line
Argon VARIGON® N
Performance Line
VARIGON® He VARIGON® HeS
CRONIGON® Ni10 CRONIGON® Ni20
CRONIGON® Ni30
The group of so-called special metals is not Reactive materials: Ti, Ta, Zr Nickel metals
clearly defined. In general, special materials Titanium, tantalum and zirconium are termed In the case of nickel alloys, the choice of a
are defined as materials that are not consid- reactive materials since they react readily with suitable shielding gas greatly depends on the
ered “standard” materials, such as aluminum, O2, N2 and H2. These processes are promoted by type of alloy to be welded. A variety of nickel
structural steel or stainless steel. These spe- the heat generated during welding. Picking up alloys are available on the market, which, de-
cial metals include nickel-based metals, cop- even tiny quantities of atmospheric gases can pending on their area of application, vary great-
per or magnesium, as well as reactive metals lead to the total embrittlement of the weld ly in terms of their metallurgical properties and
such as titanium, tantalum and zirconium. seam. This embrittlement cannot be reversed suitability for welding. As a result, there are
by heat treatment. Under the influence of heat, also a number of different recommended gases.
oxygen also causes greater surface oxidation, Users should contact Linde Gas or the material
which severely affects the corrosion resistance manufacturer if there is any doubt as to which
of these materials. The use of appropriate gas gas to use.
protection during welding is the most important
factor in protecting such valuable materials TIG welding
from these negative influences. Many nickel alloys can be easily welded using
argon-hydrogen mixtures, e.g. VARIGON® H2.
TIG welding, generally with pure argon as Other materials, for example, those that are
shielding gas, is the most common welding particularly susceptible to hot cracks, are better
process used for such materials. Purity should processed with pure argon. However, for metal-
be at least 4.8 (99.998 %). Inert He mixtures, lurgical reasons, some high-temperature nickel-
such as VARIGON® He30, can also be used for based alloys require the addition of nitrogen to
thicker walls and for improved penetration. the shielding gas, e.g. VARIGON® N2.
Shielding gases for special materials 25
MAG welding Copper metals Only shielding gases with very high helium
The gases in the CRONIGON® Ni series were Copper and most copper alloys are character- content, such as VARIGON® He90 or pure helium,
specially developed for MAG welding of nickel- ized by very high thermal conductivity. To com- can be used for TIG DC welding of magnesium
based materials. These patented gas mixtures pensate for the rapid dissipation of welding with the electrode at negative polarity. Other-
are all doped with CO2. This minute amount of heat, gases containing helium are recommend- wise, there will be not enough heat for welding.
CO2 stabilizes the arc perceptibly without imper- ed for use with these metals. VARIGON® He30
missibly altering the carbon content of the weld or VARIGON® He50 are the gases of choice for In the case of MIG welding, due to the high
metal. both TIG and for MIG welding, particularly if electrical resistance of magnesium and the
pre-heating can be reduced as a result of their associated heating of the free end of wire, the
CRONIGON® Ni10 and CRONIGON® Ni20 also use. To prevent the risk of hydrogen brittleness amount of energy that can be transferred in the
contain hydrogen or helium, which improves when welding copper, shielding gases contain- wire is limited. This can be somewhat compen-
flow properties and seam appearance and at ing H2 should not be used. sated for by using a welding gas that contains
the same time, maintains the material’s corro- helium. In addition to the classical pulsed and
sion resistance. Magnesium metals short arc processes, MIG welding has recently
Inert gas mixtures, namely argon, helium and also been carried out in the form of special
CRONIGON® Ni30 was developed especially for their compounds, are used for gas-shielded arc pulsed or controlled short arc welding.
MAG welding of the high-temperature alloy welding of magnesium alloys. Argon can be VARIGON® He mixtures can also be used with
602CA. In addition to CO2 doping, this gas con- used for all welding methods, apart from TIG these methods to reduce pore formation.
tains helium and nitrogen. The latter clearly direct current. However, VARIGON® He mixtures
reduces the risk of hot cracking during welding. are generally recommended as shielding gas as
they can reduce pore formation.
26 Linde Gas supply solutions
State-of-the-art production facilities, regular Our supply channels are both diverse and eco- Caution: new color-coding
quality checks and a national supply net- nomical. Linde offers the right quantity at the In accordance with the new standard EN 1089
work offer maximum supply reliability. right price for every customer: from small 10- part 3, cylinders are color-coded on the shoul-
liter cylinders to 75,000-liter liquid tanks. The der. As the standard has a changeover period
company’s dense supply network, its many until 2006, cylinders with the old color-coding
production sites and comprehensive product may be still in circulation until this time. For
lines guarantee high product availability, trans- further information on the changeover to the
port safety, short delivery channels for self new color-coding system, please contact the
serving customers. Linde Distribution Center.
With its innovative concepts, Linde Gas is playing a pioneering role in the global market. As a technology leader, it is our task
to constantly raise the bar. Traditionally driven by entrepreneurship, we are working steadily on new high-quality products
and innovative processes.
Linde Gas offers more. We create added value, clearly discernible competitive advantages, and greater profitability. Each
concept is tailored specifically to meet our customers’ requirements – offering standardized as well as customized solutions.
This applies to all industries and all companies regardless of their size.
If you want to keep pace with tomorrow’s competition, you need a partner by your side for whom top quality, process
optimization, and enhanced productivity are part of daily business. However, we define partnership not merely as being
there for you but being with you. After all, joint activities form the core of commercial success.
Linde AG
Linde Gas Division, Seitnerstrasse 70, 82049 Höllriegelskreuth, Germany
Phone +49.89.74 46- 0, Fax +49.89.74 46-12 30, www.linde-gas.com