Welding titanium requires 70% preparation and 30% welding time. Clean material and a controlled atmosphere are crucial. A vacuum chamber may be necessary to prevent oxygen reacting with the heat-affected zone. Welding titanium is expensive and not recommended for beginners.
Welding titanium isn’t rocket science, as most people tend to see it. Due to some subtle differences, however, a trained eye or knowledge of some of the basics could be the difference between passing and failing. The basic steps for welding titanium are quite similar to welding other metals and just require different amounts of focus. While welding steel might be 30% preparation and 70% actual welding, welding titanium is essentially just the opposite: 70% preparation and 30% welding time.
When it comes to the actual “bead running” process, as they say in the industry, welding titanium differs little from welding any other ferrous metal such as steel or stainless steel. As long as a few key elements are controlled, welding titanium can be done by almost any experienced welder.
Some of the most important steps take place before and after the actual welding. Getting rid of impurities on the material is first and foremost. Clean material is absolutely crucial to the overall integrity of the titanium weld. This can be achieved through chemical cleaning. Even microscopic fragments left by an abrasive disc or the oxidized surface itself must be removed. The natural oils on your skin can even contaminate the filler rod. All these surfaces must be as clean as possible.
Once all surface impurities have been eliminated, the next factor to consider is the atmosphere, as the actual air around the titanium weld can cause problems. There are several ways to overcome this dilemma. Specialized titanium welding equipment is available, depending on your budget. Drag cups can work for short jobs; however, for production, a small investment in a vacuum chamber may be worthwhile.
Yes, a room is as expensive as it sounds, but it’s a worthwhile consideration. The reason: When welding titanium, heat naturally diffuses into the surrounding material. This is known as a heat-affected zone or HAZ. Oxygen can and will react to titanium at temperatures just below its melting point, and therefore cannot contact the HAZ while it is still above a certain temperature. The entire area of the HAZ must be constantly purged with pure argon until the surface temperature no longer reacts with the oxygen in the atmosphere.
Controlling these key variables is essential to successfully welding titanium. It is important to note that welding titanium is considered to be a very expensive process; therefore, it is not recommended for anyone still learning the art of soldering.
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