Welding
| Commercially pure titanium and most titanium alloys
are readily welded by a number of welding processes being used today. The
most common method of joining titanium is the gas tungsten-arc (GTAW)
process and, secondarily, the gas metal-arc (GMAW) process. Others include
electron beam and more recently laser welding as well as solid state
processes such as friction welding and diffusion bonding. Titanium and its
alloys also can be joined by resistance welding and by brazing.
The techniques for welding titanium resemble those employed with nickel alloys and stainless steels. To achieve sound welds with titanium, primary emphasis is placed on surface cleanliness and the correct use of inert gas shielding. Molten titanium reacts readily with oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen and exposure to these elements in air or in surface contaminants during welding can adversely affect titanium weld metal properties. As a consequence, certain welding processes such as shielded metal arc, flux cored arc and submerged arc are unsuitable for welding titanium. In addition, titanium cannot be welded to most other metals because of formation of embrittling metallic compounds that lead to weld cracking. |
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