The Advantages of Tip Tig: Heat Exchanger Manufacturing
3 Key Reasons Tip Tig is needed for Aerospace Quality Welds
- Distortion Control
- Interpass Cleaning
- Porosity & Side Wall Fusion
Aerospace manufacturing is a high-technology industry that produces aircraft, guided missiles, space vehicles, aircraft engines, propulsion units, and other related parts such as work holding fixtures and structural supports.
Throughout the aerospace industry, the use of Invar 36 (Ni) for structural supports in mold making for aircraft components is very common. The TIP TIG process has been heavily embraced on this alloy for numerous reasons.
Distortion Control
As a result of the low heat input of our hotwire Tig process, the reduction in distortion to these highly critical tolerances on the structural components and molds has been realized throughout the industry, resulting in the reduction of man hours for rework.
Interpass Cleaning
The inherent problem with this high Nickel content on Invar material has been in the interpass cleaning required from using other process such as GMAW. The highly oxidizing nature of the welding processes previously used, has historically required extensive interpass grinding.
The TIP TIG process utilizing 100% Argon produces weldments requiring no more cleaning than that of a wire hand brush to produce 100% X-ray quality welds.
Porosity & Side Wall Fusion
The importance of our TIP TIG patented weld dynamic cannot be overstated in these applications.
The cleanliness of our process is realized throughout the weldment, and as a result of our unique agitation to the weld puddle, we experience X-ray quality porosity free welds consistently on all material thicknesses. The surface tension disturbance we create helps eliminate the inherent side wall wetting issues associated with welding on this sluggish allow resulting in the best possible results.
2019 Fancy Gloves & Jacket. New TIG Torch & Helmet. New TIG Inverter power source, yet still using the outdated, 20th century GTAW process.
2018: WHEN A WELD SHOP UTILIZES THE ABOVE 70 YEAR OLD, DC GTAW (TIG) PROCESS INSTEAD OF TIP TIG, EACH HOUR THEY ARE PRODUCING INFERIOR WELD QUALITY. EACH HOUR THEY ARE TYPICALLY PRODUCING 200 TO 400% LESS WELD. EACH HOUR THEY ARE USING A PROCESS THAT REQUIRES MUCH HIGHER WELDER SKILLS. EACH HOUR THEY CREATE UNNECESSARY WELD HEAT AFFECTING WELD/ PART PROPERTIES AND DISTORTION.
IN 2019, THE MAJORITY OF COMPANIES IN NORTH AMERICA THAT MAKE HEAT EXCHANGES ARE STUCK IN THE 20th CENTURY USING MANUAL OR AUTOMATED TIG. The poor quality “manual TIG welds below were proudly displayed in a US, 2109 weld magazine. These are heat exchange tubes and when you get sad manual weld quality like this, its one reason the companies that make these products will turn to costly, automated TIG weld equipment. With welds like this, the back plates are typically grooved, so the welds will typically require two or more weld passes per-tube. Note. On Heat Exchange welds. if the manual or automated TIG welds required two to three passes, in contrast TIP TIG depositing much more weld metal would typically require one weld pass.
REGULAR MANUAL GTAW HEAT EXCHANGE WELDS.
Heat exchange tube approx. circumference 9 inches. Note the weld inconsistency as the welder has gone around the tube.
Lets say for example with the above heat exchange welds that with the regular TIG weld stops / starts, it took approx. 5 – 7 minutes for the TIG first pass, and 9 – 11 min for the second larger TIG pass. We end up with an average time of 15 minutes for this one weld joint completion with two weld passes. In contrast, manual TIP TIG would not only produce much higher quality welds that would look like they were made with automation, TIP TIG would take approx. 1 minutes to complete a weld such as below.
SO WITH TIP TIG the welder is again producing weld quality that looks like its produced with automated weld equipment. TIP TIG requires far less manual welding skills than TIG. TIP TIG reduces weld cleaning and weld fumes. TIP TIG dramatically lowers the weld heat input. TIP TIG will reduce the number of weld start stops, (common weld defect locations). TIP TIG reduces the amount of weld passes required. And after more than a decade since TIP TIG was introduced, thanks to ineffective weld management, most global weld shops are still using tradition TIG or wasting money on unnecessary costly, automated Hot Wire TIG equipment.
TIP TIG on difficult small diameter heat exchange welds.
It has to be a benefit on these difficult to weld, small diameter tube welds, to;
[a] Use an arc weld process that enables one or two hands.
[b] A process that does not require a foot control.
[c] A process that enables optimum control of the weld starts and stops.
[d] A process that continuously delivers the weld wire into the arc sweet spot from the weld start too the weld end.
[e] A process that requires less skills than TIG or pulsed MIG.
[f] A process that always provides higher weld quality than TIG.
[g] A process that always produces lower weld heat than any TIG or pulsed MIG weld.
[h] A process that will always enable superior weld mechanicals and corrosion properties than any GTAW, Pulsed MIG or Hot Wire TIG weld.
IN THE 1960s, I STARTED MIG, TIG & FLUX CORED WELDING ON TRACTORS AT MASSEY FERGUSON IN THE UK. IF I COULD TAKE YOU BACK TO THAT TIME, AND WAS ABLE TO USE THE WELD EQUIPMENT AND CONSUMABLES AVAILABLE, IN A FEW MINUTES, I WOULD SHOW YOU HOW LITTLE THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND PRODUCE OPTIMUM MIG, FCAW AND TIG WELD QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY THAT IN REALITY IS NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WILL BE PRODUCED IN 2020 ON STEELS & ALLOY APPLICATIONS. THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT WELD CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER 60 YEARS, ARE PULSED MIG FOR THIN ALUMINUM AND TIP TIG FOR CODE QUALITY WELDS.
A MISSING LINK OVER THE 60 YEARS. Thanks to the general lack of global weld process controls and best weld practice expertise, for six plus decades, too many in the weld industry have relied on weld sales advice. From my perspective, (Note I trained over 2000 weld salesmen in the US and Canada) weld sales advice is rarely the logical engineering route to weld process optimization and process ownership. My weld reality has been, that most weld shops are likely to get more realistic weld process control – best weld practice advice from a used car salesman.
IF YOU WANT THE BEST POSSIBLE WELD QUALITY WITH THE LOWEST WELD REPAIR COSTS, AND YOU WOULD LIKE AN ALL POSITION PROCESS THAT REQUIRES THE LEAST WELDING SKILLS, YOU MAY WANT TO RELY LESS ON A SALESMAN FOR WELD ADVICE, AND TAKE A LOOK AT TIP TIG & ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT MY WELD PROCESS CONTROL – BEST WELD PRACTICE SELF TEACHING / TRAINING RESOURCES.
ABOUT THE SAME BS AS FOUND IN A USED CAR LOT.
2019: PLEASE NOTE: AS LINCOLN MILLER, ESAB, HOBART DID NOT INVENT THE TIP TIG PROCESS, A PROCESS THAT BY THE WAY ATTAINS IT’S PRIMARY TIG WELD BENEFITS NOT FROM ELECTRONICS BUT FROM A PATENTED MECHANICAL WIRE ACTION, THERE WILL NOT LIKELY BE A WELD DISTRIBUTOR SALESMAN KNOCKING ON MOST COMPANIES DOORS TO INTRODUCE THIS PROCESS. HOWEVER, THE WELD REALITY IS, IF MANAGERS, ENGINEERS AND SUPERVISORS HAVE TO RELY ON A SALESMAN FOR THEIR COMPANIES WELD APPLICATIONS & PROGRESS, ALL I CAN SAY IS, FOR GODS SAKE, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTAINING THE BEST POSSIBLES WELD QUALITY AND THE LOWEST WELD COSTS, “STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TAKE OWNERSHIP.”
2018: FOR A DECADE, ITS MADE NO ENGINEERING SENSE FOR MANAGERS & ENGINEERS TO REQUEST UNNECESSARY WELDER SKILLS: As the aerospace welder on the right indicates with his complex TIG alloy application, how many other global companies in 2019 are welding heat sensitive alloys and code quality components & using the obsolete, DC TIG weld process that produce pathetic weld production, high weld heat and requires high welder skills?
Of all available manual “arc” weld processes, for the last seven decades, the traditional DC TIG process has required the highest welder skills, and those skills and weld practices vary greatly from one TIG welder to another. The different skills and techniques that welders use in feeding their TIG weld wire, plus the common contamination and wear of the tungsten, and also the too frequent weld starts and stops which come with wire length changes, dramatically impact both the DC TIG weld quality and consistency.
Note: I should not have to remind those that arc weld parts in the Aerospace, Defense, Power, Medical and Energy industries, of the importance of using an arc weld process such as TIP TIG which enable minimal welder skills for all position welds, and produces the most uniform, consistent, highest possible, manual or automated weld quality with the benefits attained from lowest possible weld heat.
With with TIP TIG manual welds, the welds are being made with a “Semi-Automatic” TIG process that is readily Automated without the requirement for costly, automatic arc length adjustment equipment. The TIP TIG manual welder does not need skills to feed a weld wire. With TIP TIG, the weld wire is continuously fed into a TIG plasma sweet spot, something not possible from any manual TIG welder. The TIP TIG wire melt rate is both uniform and continuous, again something not possible from a manual TIG welder. With TIP TIG no foot controls required and no stopping of the weld for a new wire length. With TIP TIG the weld wire is not fed close to the tungsten, its fed instead into the edge of the arc plasma periphery, avoiding the chances of tungsten contamination, and tungsten melting into the weld is also dramatically reduced. Once a welder becomes familiar with TIP TIG, its likely in a shift that they may only have to grind their tungsten once.
FROM PIPE ROOTS TO PIPE FILL, LARGE OR SMALL PARTS, MANUAL OR AUTOMATED, YOU WILL FIND TIP TIG IS AN EASY TO USE PROCESS AND REQUIRES NO MORE THAN “THREE WELD SETTINGS” TO JUST ABOUT WELD ANY ALL POSITION STEELS AND ALLOY STEEL APPLICATIONS FROM 16 GAGE TO ANY THICKNESS. TIP TIG PROVIDES ANY COMPANY FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ARC WELD PROCESSES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED TO FINALLY PRODUCE FIRST TIME, DEFECT FREE WELDS. NO ERGONOMIC OR WELD FUME ISSUES. NO METALLURGICAL OR DISTORTION ISSUES. REDUCED PREHEAT – INTER-PASS TEMP OR POST HEAT CONCERNS. NO WELD CLEANING & DON’T FORGET THE MINIMAL WELDER SKILLS REQUIRED.
THE PRIMARY ARC WELDING PROCESSES SUCH AS MIG – TIG – FLUX CORED & SMAW, HAVE CHANGED LITTLE IN SIX DECADES, AND THESE WELD PROCESSES ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN 98% OF THE GLOBAL WELDS PRODUCED DAILY. A logical question would be why would any manger or engineer responsible for welds, ignore a new arc weld process that can provides extensive weld quality and cost benefits, an easy to use weld process that anyone who has never welded can learn in less than 10 days.
2018: THE “WHY CHANGE THE WAY WE HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT” WELD SHOPS CAN CONTINUE TO PURCHASE MAGIC WELD GAS MIXES OR WELD EQUIPMENT TOO OFTEN LOADED WITH COSTLY, USELESS ELECTRONIC BELLS AND WHISTLES, OR THEY CAN SIMPLY LEARN ABOUT PROCESSES AND PROCESS CONTROLS, AND GET A GRIP ON THE REQUIREMENTS FOR WELD PROCESS OWNERSHIP WHICH WILL ENABLE POSITIVE COST EFFECTIVE WELD CHANGES FOR THEIR COMPANIES:
With it’s latest Inverter TIG equipment, Miller proudly announced with the advanced electronics that it can speed a companies DC TIG welds by 17%. What does that mean? Well your DC TIG welder is making a weld on 3/16 or 1/4 stainless at a typical travel rate of 3 inch/min, that new Millers Inverter TIG power source now enables with the 17% increase in weld speed a new weld speed of 3.5 inch/min, yawn. In contrast, when TIP TIG equipment is added to that Miller power source, it usually enables 200 to 400 % in weld deposition rates that enable 300 to 700% increase in TIG weld speeds. Remember weld speeds influence weld & clad heat, and weld heat influences weld – part metallurgical properties, distortion, stresses and oxidation.