TIG welding sheet metal: perfect to weld thin sheets

TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding sheet metal is certainly one of the most common welding methods. This is an arc welding process with an infusible (tungsten) electrode, protected by inert gas (the gasses most commonly used are argon or helium), which can be performed with or without filler metal.

In this article, we will explore:

• How TIG welding sheet metal works
• Tips for impeccable TIG welding sheet metal
• Minifaber: your point of reference for TIG welding thin sheet metal
   

TIG welding is particularly suitable for welding thin sheet metal and can be used for both continuous and spot welding. This specific welding technology was initially developed for the aviation industry during the Second World War, to replace rivets with welds on planes (much lighter with the same resistance). Since then, its uses in the industrial sector have multiplied dramatically.

TIG welding sheet metal provides high quality joints and is therefore particularly suitable for welding thin sheets, unlike a traditional welding technique where the risk of piercing the metal is high.

How TIG welding sheet metal works

In TIG welding, material is supplied manually with the help of a bar or automatically with a spooled wire. This procedure is suitable for performing high quality welds in case of joining thin stainless steel thicknesses by melting the edges, with small additions of material (in some cases even without filler material).

To TIG weld thin sheets, a torch is used in which the tungsten electrode is inserted, around which the protective inert gas flows on the melting bath. The operator moves the torch along the joint to move the melting bath, positioning the infusible tungsten electrode at a maximum distance of a few millimeters and keeping this distance stable. 

During the operation it is very important to prevent the electrode from coming into direct contact with the piece to be welded, since the tungsten rod would stick to the joint and stop welding.

Tips for impeccable TIG welding sheet metal

TIG is a popular technique for welding thin sheets of metal, but it is not free of difficulties. Here, you can find a comprehensive list of tips in order to obtain the best result you can wish for. 

1. First and foremost, make sure that your operational surface is clean. In fact, TIG welding does not work on surfaces presenting debris and small contaminants that can easily undermine your weld.
2. The torch should be positioned at a 15-degree angle in order to see the pool of molten metal in which your filler rod can access freely, without encountering obstacles of any sort.
3. Before starting your TIG welding sheet metal, find a comfortable position to weld without tiring yourself.
4. Your torch should be pulled towards you, and not pushed. Therefore, you will have a better control over the filing process resulting in a weld bead.
5. One of the pillars of TIG welding is temperature control. For this reason, you need to control heat flowing from your torch on the thin metal sheet you are working on in order to obtain the best possible result.
6. The final stage of your welding should be dealt with slowly, without hurry. As a result, you will help prevent cratering and ensure an impeccable finishing. 

Following these suggestions, you will have an excellent welded sheet metal with a high level of accuracy and perfect aesthetics without compromising performance.
 

Minifaber: your point of reference for TIG welding thin sheet metal

This sheet welding process is an excellent solution to obtain results without burrs, but it takes highly specialized operators, especially when it comes to handling thin sheets, to obtain state-of-the-art TIG welding .

At Minifaber we TIG weld sheet metal in-house, in a protected and controlled environment, thus optimizing times and costs for the creation of complex, finished or semi-finished products.

Our machine fleet includes an MIG-TIG anthropomorphic welding robot and 8 welding machines entirely specialized in TIG, through which we manufacture both semi-finished and finished products with high added value.