Tungsten electrodes - for TIG welding

When looking for high-quality welding materials for your workshop or production plant, special attention should be paid to the appropriate selection of non-consumable tungsten electrodes for TIG welding. Apart from the criteria for selecting the appropriate electrode diameter for the material thickness, the most important aspect of the choice is the purpose and chemical composition of individual tungsten electrodes, which are marked with appropriate colours. They allow for easy identification of whether the electrode contains pure tungsten recommended for welding aluminium (green) or is red with an admixture of thorium used for welding stainless or carbon steel.

What types of electrodes are there for Tiga?

TIG welders use a non-consumable tungsten electrode. Its function is only to maintain the welding arc, not to fill the weld. Apart from tungsten itself, alloy additions of other materials are used in electrodes. They occur in a value not exceeding 2% of the composition, while the rest is tungsten. Additives affect the way the weld is laid, as well as the type of material being welded. The TIG electrode is available in several standard variants. For easier characterization, they can be distinguished by the colour on the edge. There are the following types of electrodes:

●       green - tungsten 100%;

●       gold - added lanthanum 1.5%;

●       blue - lanthanum added 2%;

●       purple - addition of lanthanum and cerium in total 2%;

●       red - thorium addition 2%;

●       grey - cerium addition 2%.

By choosing a specific TIG welding wire, you can also obtain specific weld characteristics. You need to pay attention to whether the tungsten electrode can work with direct and alternating current, or only in one variant. Each type of TIG electrode is also offered in several thicknesses.