Tungsten electrode welding stability refers to the ability of the electrode to maintain arc concentration, smooth arc starting, and good weld formation for a long time and reliably during the actual TIG welding process. In order to comprehensively evaluate its stability, it is usually judged and tested from the following aspects:
- Arc Start And Hold Performance
Whether the arc initiation is rapid and reliable: High-quality tungsten electrodes should quickly form arcs at high frequencies or under contact arcing conditions without significant delay.
Continuous and stable arc: Evaluate whether the arc flashes, runs, or drifts during prolonged operation.
Evaluation method: Observe the arc start time, arc interruption and other behaviors through welding machine monitoring or arc visual recording system.
- Arc Morphology And Concentration
Whether the arc is concentrated and symmetrical: The ideal arc should be straight from the tip of the electrode, creating a uniform heat input and symmetrical weld.
Heat input area stability: Arcing that is too diffuse or offset can lead to uneven welds, spatter, or burn-through.
Evaluation method: Take an arc image and observe the arc cone angle and offset. The heat-affected zone can also be observed macroscopically through the weld section.
- Deformation And Ablation Of The Electrode Tip
Whether the tip is ablated too quickly: Excessive ablation or the formation of a melt ball indicates poor electrode material stability, affecting the stability of welding.
Whether the tip maintains a consistent shape: The tip maintains a sharpened shape for a long time, indicating good thermal conductivity and high arc concentration.
Evaluation method: Scanning electron microscopy or light microscope is used to compare the tip morphology of the electrode before and after welding.
- Weld Forming And Defect Rate
Uniform, smooth and free of inclusions: Stable arc can form a continuous and well-formed weld, otherwise it is easy to have defects such as porosity and tungsten inclusions.
Weld internal quality: Non-destructive testing verifies for poor fusion or microcracks.
Evaluation method: visual inspection, X-ray/ultrasonic inspection, or making a cross-section of the weld for metallographic analysis.
- Repeated Welding Consistency
Whether the performance deteriorates after multiple arcing: Highly stable electrodes can maintain their performance even after dozens of arcing.
Whether the electrode is frequently replaced or re-ground: The low frequency of replacement indicates its ablation resistance, good thermal conductivity, and high stability.
Evaluation method: In batch welding, the number of arcing times and the cumulative welding time of each electrode are counted, and the performance differences between different batches or materials are compared.
- Current Response And Bearing Capacity
Whether arc concentration can be maintained at high currents: Tungsten electrodes suitable for medium and heavy plate welding must be able to withstand high loads and not easily burn out.
Whether it is easy to control at small current: It is suitable for welding thin plates and electronic parts, and the arc control should be flexible and soft.
Evaluation method: Arc morphology, weld control, and tip loss rate are tested under different current conditions.
- Compatibility Of Supporting Equipment
Whether it is compatible with different types of welding machines (frequency conversion/inverter, AC/DC).
Whether the performance is stable under different gas protection (pure argon, argon-hydrogen mixture, helium).
Evaluation method: Simulate real welding under common welding equipment, and compare the welding consistency performance of different electrodes.
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