Gases/Mix

Process

Materials

• 3/16 to 1/2 thickness
• Better operator appeal versus AR/C0₂ mixes
• Good multi-pass capabilities
• Good arc stability
• Better wetting and travel speed
• Also has low smoke and spatter levels

• Compared to Argon:
   - Better bead width and fusion
   - Heat transfer improved
   - Wetting action and travel speeds increase
• Used for medium material thickness, 3/32"-3/8"

• Better choice for materials up to 3/16"
• Both spray and short arc transfer
• Goes into spray transfer at lower voltages
• Increased wetting
• High deposition efficiency
• Improved mechanical properties

• Good for short arc wire welding of thin gauge

• Excellent with spray on heavy sections of steels and stainless
• Narrow deep penetration
• Used mainly on stainless steels for wetting and low bead profile
• Low smoke

• Excellent with pulse on heavy sections of steels and stainless
• Used for out of position welding and thinner plate in pulse mode
• Maximum CO₂ allowed to weld stainless to avoid carbide precipitation
• Low smoke

• Excellent mechanical properties
• Increased travel speeds
• Improved wetting with increase in width of fusion
• Used more in spray transfer and metalcore wires

• Close to Norgas 7 but has better tolerance to mill scale
• Used more in short are than spray mode
• Flux cored wires
• Good deposition for short arc

• For short arc applications versus CO₂
• Decrease in crown
• Less spatter
• Less burn through
• Decrease in smoke
• Most popular for flux cored wires

• Provides good shielding at low flow rates
• Tolerant of are length changes
• Good wetting and are stability
• Provides lowest level of fumes on solid wires
• Also used on stainless where high corrosion resistance is needed

• Weld puddle fluidity increases
• Faster travel speeds
• Lower transition level to spray
• Droplet size will decrease while the droplet rate will increase

• Hot
• Good on thick aluminum with good x-ray quality
• Reduced cleaning
• Less spatter and high travel speeds
• 5/32 - 1/2"  material thickness

• Very hot
• Thick aluminum, preferred on 1/2" thick copper or nickel allows
• May reduce or eliminate preheat
• Deep and wide penetration

• Used mainly for plasma cutting and gouging, on stainless alloys and aluminum
• Leaves a very smooth, shiny and non-contaminated edge or groove
• In welding, used for high-speed automatic welding of stainless tanks

• Smooth spray transfer, characteristics
• Strong welds which are smooth and bright in appearance
• Very high deposition rates
• Great control over the weld pool
• Good for both stainless and carbon steel
• Good out of position in pulse mode

• Used for GTAW and PAW only
• Excellent clean bead appearance
• Increased travel speed over argon
• Increased penetration over argon

• Very close to Norgas 7 but better in the spray transfer mode
• Very high deposition rates
• Increased travel speeds
• Excellent mechanical properties