The “pollution” of tungsten electrodes mainly refers to the electrode head or surface contaminated with impurities, oxides or welding spatter, resulting in a decrease in arc performance and affecting the welding quality. Whether the tungsten electrode is contaminated can be judged through the following aspects:
Appearance changes
Contaminated tungsten electrode heads are usually dark, blackened or have uneven color spots, sometimes visible slag adhesion or oil stains. Normal tungsten electrode tips should be metallic or uniform in color.
The arc is unstable
The arcing of the polluted electrode is difficult, the arc jumps or is intermittent, the arc is easy to shift during the welding process, the weld shape is irregular, and even tungsten inclusions appear.
The arc voltage increases
Contamination can lead to a decrease in electron emission performance on the electrode surface, which manifests as a significant increase in arc starting voltage and the need for higher voltages to ignite the arc.
The surface of the electrode tip is unusually rough
Under a microscope or magnifying glass, there may be tiny particles or oxide buildup on the surface of the contaminated electrode head.
Increased spatter during welding
When the contaminated electrode is used, the welding spatter increases significantly, affecting the weld quality and working environment.
Detection tools assist in judgment
X-ray fluorescence analysis and other techniques are used to detect the surface composition of the electrode to determine whether there is foreign element doping.
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