How to Choose Shielding Gas in Welding Technology

Shielding gas is an important aspect of the welding industry. It is important to choose the right gas for the desired welding outcome. The factors for choosing a shielding gas depend on the type of welding material, thickness, and quality required. Here is a guide on how to select the appropriate protective gas for specific metals in welding, specifically for MIG (Gas Metal ARC Welding – GMAW), which is a welding method that uses an arc as the heat source.

For aluminum (Al) and aluminum alloys:

The following gases can be used: Argon, Argon mixture 35% + 65% Helium, Argon mixture 25% + 75% Helium.

Argon: Advantages include being able to weld on parts up to 25mm thick, providing a stable plasma, with less spatter and less splashing.

Argon mixture 35% + 65% Helium: Advantages include welding on parts ranging from 25mm to 76mm thick, with high welding energy to enhance the fluidity of the welding metal when welding on aluminum alloys 5XXX (Al + Mg).

Argon mixture 25% + 75% Helium: Advantages include being able to weld on extremely thick parts (over 76mm), with high welding energy, strong welding and minimizing the risk of gas porosity.

For Magnesium (Mg):

The best cleaning effect is achieved using Argon protective gas.

For carbon steel:

Use Argon + Oxygen and Argon + CO2.

Argon + 1-5% Oxygen: Advantages include good cleaning effect and improved welding quality.

Argon + 3-10% CO2: Advantages include good welding speed, but with a risk of spatter and a reduction in welding quality.

For high strength low alloy steel (HSLA):

“Using Ar + Oxygen gas (2%) has the advantage of eliminating the risk of burning edges and providing good fatigue toughness in the weld.”

For stainless steel:

“Use shielding gas mixtures of Argon and Oxygen:

Ar + O2 gas mixture (1%): This has the advantage of enhancing arc stability, providing good and easy-to-control weld dilution, creating a beautiful bright weld surface, and limiting edge burn even when welding on thick details.

Ar + O2 gas mixture (2%).”

For Copper, Nickel, and Nickel Alloys:

“Pure Argon gas or a mixture of Argon + Nitrogen + Helium gas can be used:

Use pure Argon gas mixture: This provides good weld adhesion and thinness when welding welds over 3mm.

Using a mixture of Ar + Helium28 gas: This helps increase welding energy (50%-75% He) and better heat distribution when welding thick parts.”

For Titanium Welding:

“Use pure Argon as a shielding gas. This has the advantage of providing a stable arc, a clean weld free of impurities.”

After studying the proper selection of shielding gases in welding, you may find that Argon is one of the most recommended gases. To expand your knowledge, refer to the article “Argon application in welding technology.”

The following is a list of protective gases recommended by Thefabricator.com:

For inquiries about purchasing Argon gas of high quality, please reach out to Sing Industrial Gas Vietnam, a provider of various industrial gases such as Oxygen, Nitrogen, Argon, Hydrogen, Acetylene, and custom mixed gases to meet your needs. Our commitment is to deliver high-quality products and excellent service to ensure your satisfaction. Contact our hotline 0937 200 655 for a free quote consultation today!