How to choose tungsten electrodes for argon arc welding (TIG)

12.02.2021

How to choose tungsten electrodes?

Currently, there are several main types of non-consumable tungsten electrodes, between which a beginning argon specialist will have to choose.
European markings are as follows: electrodes WC-20, WL-15, WL-20, WP, WT-20, WZ-8, WY-20.
Domestic electrodes are also analogues of the main European brands, but they have their own specifics: the electrodes have a measured length of up to 1 m. Tungsten is quite fragile, so short electrodes of about 200 mm are also found in the batch of goods. This is allowed according to GOST. Domestic products are sold in kilograms. And European-style electrodes (now mass-produced in China) usually have a length of 175 mm and are sold individually (or in packages of 10 pieces), which makes them the most popular on the market.

There are three categories of tungsten electrodes:

1. AC electrode (WZ, WP)
2. DC electrode (WY, WT)
3. Universal electrode (WL, WC)

You can start practicing argon arc welding with universal electrodes. They are capable of operating on both direct and alternating current and can reliably weld most common metals and alloys. Towards universal

tungsten electrodes include
WC-20, W L - 15
and
W L - 20.
The classic type of electrodes is for
DC
.
This includes WT-20
and
WY-20.
The first ones have been widely known since Soviet times, but have an important feature, which is always mentioned in their description.
The latter are their safe analogues. The third type includes electrodes for welding with alternating current
- these are
W P
and
W Z-8.

WC-20

Tungsten electrodes
WC-20
(in addition to pure tungsten, it contains 2% cerium oxide) belong to the group of universal ones, as they are suitable for welding with
direct (straight polarity) and alternating current
, as well as for various metals: stainless steels, molybdenum, tantalum , copper, nickel, titanium, as well as their alloys. Among the distinctive features of this type of electrodes are complete safety for human health, resistance to increased values ​​of welding current, and balanced consumption of the electrode during the welding process.

It should be remembered that the closer the welding current value is to the maximum when working with a WC-20 electrode, the more cerium oxide is concentrated at the junction with the welding arc, and this can affect the quality of the weld.

It is read that WC-20 are excellent for welding pipeline root seams, orbital welding, and welding of thin-sheet steel products.

Difference in light

Now you know why they put decals on electrical tungsten conductors. Let's look at the meaning of each color. But first you need to decide what exactly the color applied to the electrode means.

Each color shade carries information. The size of the tungsten rod, what material was used to make the conductor. If you learn the color codes like the multiplication table, you will instantly decide on a purchase.

Pay attention to this table, which deciphers all colors.

This table clearly shows that color implies numerical and alphabetic indicators.

It doesn’t matter what color the end of the electrical conductor is, the code begins with the letter W. After this, there is a letter responsible for the presence of additional metal from which the electrode is made. The letter value is followed by numbers.

WL-15

Tungsten electrodes
W L - 15
(in addition to pure tungsten, it contains 1.5% lanthanum oxide) belong to the group of universal ones, as they are suitable for welding with
direct (straight polarity) and alternating current
, as well as for various metals: all types of steels , copper, bronze, aluminum and its alloys. Among the distinctive features of this type of electrodes are complete safety for human health, high wear resistance, absence of burns, increased duration of maintaining the sharpness of the electrode (ahead of even WL-20), and easy ignition of the arc.

Electrodes the W L - 15 brand are excellent for welding any products from all types of steel .

They are good for beginners in argon arc welding, as they can smooth out incorrect machine settings during operation (their versatility, safety and stability play a role). If you sharpen the WL-15 electrode correctly, it will also cope with welding aluminum, magnesium, and their alloys.

Main characteristics of EVL electrodes

The main characteristics of EVL electrodes include:

Technical data:

Ratios:

EVL is used for argon welding. The price is not high. Sold from 1000 rubles. per kg.

Used to weld any materials. The process takes place with different currents of different polarities.

Special properties:

• the arc is easily ignited;
• burns for a long time;
• do not melt;
• ability to weld different materials;
• a high-strength seam is formed.

WL-20

Tungsten electrodes
W L - 20
(in addition to pure tungsten, it contains 2.0% lanthanum oxide) belong to the group of universal ones, as they are suitable for welding with
direct (straight polarity) and alternating current
, as well as for various metals: all types of steels , copper, bronze, aluminum and its alloys. Among the distinctive features of this type of electrodes are complete safety for human health, high wear resistance, no burns, increased retention of electrode sharpening (second only to WL-15), easy arc ignition, stable operation at low currents (ahead of WL-15).

Electrodes the W L - 20 brand are excellent for welding any products from all types of steel .

They are good for beginners in argon arc welding, as they can smooth out incorrect machine settings during operation (their versatility, safety and stability play a role). If you sharpen the WL-20 electrode correctly, it will also cope with welding aluminum, magnesium, and their alloys.

WT-20

Tungsten electrodes
W T - 20
(the composition, in addition to pure tungsten, includes 2.0% thorium oxide) are most widespread in Russia, as for decades they have shown high efficiency, stability and relative versatility.
These electrodes are suitable for welding all types of steel, as well as tantalum, molybdenum and many other materials with direct current .
Technically they are capable of operating on alternating current, but are not designed for this.
They have easy arc ignition and relative durability. But a significant disadvantage of WT-20
at the moment reduces their consumption - thorium is
a radioactive
chemical element.
Dust from an electrode during sharpening, inhaled into a person's lungs, can have a significant impact on his health. Poorly ventilated areas intended for working with WT-20 and the long-term nature of the work themselves are also dangerous. All of the above does not mean that you should immediately abandon thorium tungsten electrodes, but it is advisable to strictly observe safety precautions
when working with them.

Where to buy tungsten electrodes - analysis of the offer from SpetsMetalMaster Group of Companies

The tungsten welding electrode itself cannot be called a cheap consumable. Finding quality products within small towns is not easy in itself, and if we are talking about rare variations of the electrode, then the only way to go is to specialized stores for welders.

Why waste time running around the city, when in the 21st century you can place orders comfortably via the Internet. It has been working in the Russian Federation for several years now. The quality of our products is evidenced by awards and certificates at the international level. Let's take a closer look at what and how exactly GC SMM LLC offers to its target audience.

1) A few words about the company

GC SpetsMetalMaster is not one project, but a community of domestic companies specializing in refractory metals. Thanks to the cooperation of partners with diverse specializations (Research Institute NPO "Luch", ICE SB RAS, ZAO SKB "Khromatek" and others), SpetsMetalMaster Group of Companies has the opportunity to develop + produce high-quality products and supply them both to the domestic market and abroad.

Chronology of company development:

• 1991-1998 – export activities of raw materials to Germany;
• 1998-2008 – start and improvement of independent production;
• 2008-2015 – expansion and transition to a closed joint stock company. Introduction of additive technologies into production processes;
• 2016 – expansion of production capacity in the niche of rare earth metals;
• 2017-2020 – strengthening positions in the domestic and international markets of refractory metals.

The legal registration of the LLC is located in Moscow, but the remote format of work + the presence of many partners throughout the country makes it possible to deliver products from the site to anywhere in the Russian Federation.

Important! In 2022, SpetsMetalMaster Group received a certificate from the National Welding Control Agency, which made the group the only one in the country selling tungsten products that have been certified by NAKS.

Almost from the start of its activities, the company was able to win the trust of the state, which gave it the opportunity to carry out dozens of government deliveries. OGRN + INN/KPP, as well as other information on the LLC can be found on the official website at the bottom of the page in the “About Us” section.

2) Tungsten product range

We note right away that all presented product items for tungsten electrodes are manufactured strictly according to ISO 6848:2015 and GOST (23949-80) standards.
The cost of rods of various types is comparable to Chinese ones, but the quality is not inferior to European, and this is a rare phenomenon for the domestic market. Where and how to choose tungsten electrodes:

1. We go to the official website of the company using the link - https://specmetal.ru/catalog/volframovye-elektrody/ and see the picture presented in the screenshot below.
2. In the main block, cards with goods are located in the center. The user can independently configure the display - increase or decrease the price tag, or go to the most popular product names by clicking the “Popularity” link.
3. To the left of the block with product cards there is a filter panel. The standard is selected through the category - ISO 6848:2015, GOST 23949-80 or NAKS 13. Below, the slider indicates the minimum and maximum price with the electrode diameter. The most popular length values ​​are separated into a separate filtering block. Near each item at the end there is an uppercase number, which displays the number of product items when selecting the current filter.
4. To make it easier to select tungsten electrodes in the direction of welding work, use the “Mark” block.
5. When going to the product card, the user can study the characteristics of the rod, add the product to the cart, or purchase the current type of tungsten electrode in a pack. If you have questions the answers to which are not specified in the position description, you can contact the manager. The pop-up chat attached to the lower right part of the page screen works in a similar way.

The site is constantly popping up with discount offers on various types of products, so if you want to purchase high-quality electrodes at a price lower than the Chinese price, we recommend adding the page to your browser bookmarks and periodically reviewing the current discounts at least once every couple of days.

Note! In addition to the current assortment on the site, the SpetsMetalMaster Group of Companies offers services for the production of tungsten electrodes according to individual customer drawings.

The final cost of products may vary depending on the volume of purchase, terms of delivery or payment, as well as the place of shipment of the goods. To avoid misunderstandings between the parties, it is advisable to resolve subtle issues directly with the company’s managers.

Characteristics and markings of rutile electrodes

3) Terms of delivery and payment for goods

Above we described the main components of the company’s website, based on which a person can place an order in 2-3 minutes. In addition to the direct method of purchasing goods, you can use 2 auxiliary ones - sending an application by mail or dialing the sales department manager via mobile phone: 8 - 800 - 500 - 5363.

Working through a mailbox is useful for customers of custom-made tungsten electrodes. This way, it will be easier to send the drawings to the company’s engineering department for further execution of the order as quickly as possible.

The partners for the delivery of products of SpetsMetalMaster Group of Companies are:

• First Expeditionary Company;
• SDEK;
• DPD;
• ZhelDorExpedition;
• Business Line.

If the order is made in Moscow or the Moscow region, then the option of sending by courier is possible. Delivery department operating hours: Monday – Friday, from 10.00 to 17.00. Shipping of goods is not possible on Saturday and Sunday.

The main payment method between the customer and the product supplier is Sberbank PJSC. Cards from 3 payment systems can be used - MIR, VISA International or Mastercard Worldwide. When collaborating with legal entities, invoices are issued by the company manager. Shipment of goods is possible only after full repayment of the specified amount, and its timing depends on the shopping center + 2 days are allocated for delivery to the warehouse.

WY-20

Tungsten electrodes
WY-20
(in addition to pure tungsten, it contains 2% yttrium oxide) belong to the same group as WT-20, as they are designed for
DC .
But unlike thorium electrodes, yttrium electrodes
are safe for human health
.
They are considered the most resistant
to high welding currents among tungsten electrodes.
Do not contaminate the welding seam. Based on the totality of positive aspects, these electrodes are used when welding particularly critical structures.
Sharpening electrodes requires skill, as, according to reviews, problems arise with it.

Areas of use

EVL tungsten electrodes are used to weld parts of various materials using a method called “Argon welding”. Can work with different currents.

Figure 2 - Types of tungsten electrodes

Mainly used in the oil and gas industry for joining pipes and various materials. In addition, it can be used in large-scale factory production and more. Due to its versatility, it can be used almost anywhere where high-quality argon spot welding is needed.

W.P.

Tungsten electrodes
WP
(contains at least 99.5% pure tungsten)
magnesium and their alloys using alternating current.
They have low resistance to welding current (its thermal effects) and durability.
Because of this, the electrode is sharpened in the form of a ball (rounding). Despite significant disadvantages, WP electrodes have an important advantage: they do not introduce any additives into the composition of the weld, since they consist of pure tungsten, for which they are very much appreciated in work where high demands are placed on the chemical composition of the seam.