Welding Gas Mixtures

Sicgilsol is also dealing with the special gas mixture needs of our customers. Some of the major types of gas mixtures are as follows:

Argon CO2 Mixtures: Argon/carbon dioxide blends are versatile mixtures for welding Carbon, Low-Alloy and some Stainless Steels. Increasing the CO2 content will increase weld penetration and bead wetting characteristics. At higher current levels and CO2 content, increased spatter may result. Ar/CO2 blends can be used to join a wide range of material thickness while utilizing a variety of modes of metal transfer. Ar/CO2 blends are used for all kinds of structural steel, farm implements and machinery. Lower levels of CO2 can be used for the pulsed arc or spray arc welding, while higher levels > 20% are used for short arc welding and the shielding of some flux-cored wires.

Some of the commonly used ratios are as follows:

ARGON 95% - 5% Co2 - used for pulsed spray transfer and short-circuiting transfer on a variety of material thicknesses.

ARGON 90% - 10% Co2 - For spray transferring mild steel.

ARGON 85% - 15% Co2 - used for variety of applications on Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels

ARGON 80% - 20% Co2 - used for short circuiting or spray transfer welding of Carbon Steel.

ARGON 75% - 25% Co2 - for short circuiting low carbon steel.

Argon Oxygen Mixtures:

Argon/oxygen blends are most widely used for conventional and pulsed spray transfer on clean (little or no scale or residual oil), plain Carbon and Stainless Steel. These blends, typically 1, 2 or 5% oxygen, provide good arc stability and very low levels of spatter and fume. Higher levels of oxygen will also increase puddle fluidity that may make out-of-position welding more difficult. Generally used for welding heavy section Carbon Steel for farm equipment, military transports, ships and automotive assemblies. These blends are also used for spray arc welding of both ferritic and Austenitic Stainless Steel components.

ARGON 99% - 1% OXYGEN - used for spray transfer on Stainless Steels.

ARGON 98% - 2% OXYGEN for spray transferring stainless steel.

ARGON 95% - 5% OXYGEN - provides a more fluid but controllable weld pool, most commonly used the argon-oxygen mixture for general Carbon Steel welding.

Other gas mixtures:

TRI-MIX - 90% Helium - 7.5% Argon - 2.5% Co2 "GREAT CHOICE FOR SHORT-CIRCUITING STAINLESS STEEL" This tri-mix blend is widely used for short-circuiting transfer welding of Stainless Steel in all welding positions. The carbon dioxide content is kept low to minimize carbon absorption and assure good corrosion resistance, especially in multipass welds. The argon and carbon dioxide additions provide good arc stability and depth of fusion. The high helium content provides significant heat input to overcome the sluggish nature of the stainless steel weld pool.

TRI-MIX 66% Argon 26.5% Helium 7.5% Co2 This tri-mix blend has been developed for spray and pulsed spray arc welding of both Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels. It can be used on all thicknesses in any position. This high-speed blend will produce higher quality welds over rust, oil, and mill scale than conventional two-part mixtures. It produces good mechanical properties and weld puddle control.

TRI-MIX 66.1% Argon 33% Helium 0.9% Co2 This tri-mix blend is used for a short arc, spray, and pulsed spray arc welding of Stainless Steel. It provides a higher welding speed, a broad weld with a flat crown and good color match, reduced porosity, and excellent alloy retention with good corrosion resistance.