Once the tungsten electrode overheats during TIG welding, it will significantly affect the weld quality and may cause the electrode to be damaged or contaminated to the weld. Common tungsten electrode overheating manifestations are as follows:
1.The Electrode Tip Is Spherical Or Melted
When the current is too high or the gas protection is poor, the tungsten electrode loses its original sharpened shape and becomes spherical or droplet-shaped. This shape can lead to arc divergence, unconcentrated welds, and even “tungsten inclusion” defects.
2.Electrode Discoloration (e.g., Blue-purple, Black)
When overheated, the tungsten electrode will oxidize and change color, from the original metallic gray to blue, purple, black and other colors. This indicates that the surface of the electrode reacts with oxygen in the air, and the surface temperature has far exceeded the normal use range.
3.Difficulty Arcing Or Unstable Arcing
Overheating of the electrode will damage its surface structure, causing the arc to jump, long and short, and easy to extinguish. This can seriously affect the continuity of the weld and the quality of the weld.
4.Electrode Life Is Drastically Reduced
Electrodes that can be used dozens of times in a row will be severely ablated in a short period of time if they overheat frequently, and even need to be replaced in a few minutes.
5.The End Of The Electrode Drips Or Contaminates The Weld
When severely overheated, molten metal may even drip from the end of the electrode, entering the melt pool to form contaminants, causing tungsten particles to be mixed inside the weld, affecting the welding strength and appearance.
6.The Electrode Tip Becomes Thicker Or Loses Symmetry
If overheating occurs when the tip is off-center or the welding angle is wrong, the electrode may experience uneven ablation or coarsening on one side, further exacerbating arc offset and instability.
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