Practical TIG Welding: Parts of a TIG Welder
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Parts of a TIG Welder
03.13
| 00:00 | - When we look at a typical TIG welder setup, it's easy to see that there are many different parts that make up a complete welder. |
| 00:06 | To better understand the parts associated with this setup, we're going to run through them one by one. |
| 00:12 | Each part of the TIG welder assembly is vital to its operation but there's none more important than the welder itself. |
| 00:19 | Regardless of brand, the welder will most likely have a steel cover that protects the internal electrical components with the welder's inputs in the back and its outputs and controls on the front. |
| 00:30 | On the back side we see an electrical lead that supplies the power from your wall socket to the machine, a gas fitting that will allow the connection of shielding gas and a master switch to power everything up. |
| 00:42 | One the opposite end of the machine, you'll find all of your vital controls and adjustments as well as the connections for our welding torch, earth clamp, shielding gas outlet and optional foot pedal. |
| 00:53 | Moving away from the welder itself, we have the inert gas bottle which in this case is argon gas and this is supplier to the machine by a screw on regulator. |
| 01:02 | The job of the regulator is simple but vital to the TIG welding operation and we'll look at this closer as we get further into the course. |
| 01:09 | If we move to the front, we have the connections for the TIG torch lead. |
| 01:13 | This is used to supply the weld current to the electrode as well as the inert gas that shields the weld pool. |
| 01:20 | Most TIG welders will be supplied with a switch torch that incorporates a button on the handpiece to initiate and terminate the arc. |
| 01:27 | Many will also incorporate a rotary adjustment switch directly on the torch and this allows you to control the amperage without having to get out of position and head back to the machine to make these changes. |
| 01:39 | The amperage can also be controlled using an optional foot pedal that allows us to fine tune our weld amperage on the fly. |
| 01:47 | It also means we don't need an on/off switch on the torch either which simplifies and lightens the hand piece. |
| 01:54 | These pedals can be a useful addition to your TIG, particularly for welding aluminium and we'll be looking at these in a little bit more detail shortly. |
| 02:02 | The torch itself also uses a series of parts that are known in the industry as consumables. |
| 02:08 | TIG welding doesn't actually create a lot of wear on the parts but we will be replacing and changing the torch assembly regularly. |
| 02:15 | Starting from the front of the torch, we have a ceramic nozzle which directs the argon flow over the tungsten it surrounds and shields the resulting arc that protrudes from the tungsten. |
| 02:26 | This tungsten runs through the centre of the torch and is surrounded and held in place by the collet body and collet holder. |
| 02:33 | These support and positively locate the tungsten as well as providing an electrical path to the tungsten which is essential to create the arc. |
| 02:42 | This is all sealed and held together by the back cap which houses the excess tungsten length. |
| 02:48 | The final connection on the front side of the machine is the earth clamp that completes the electrical circuit. |
| 02:54 | These are typically made from brass or steel, with brass or copper contacts for improved electrical conductivity. |
| 03:01 | This can be clamped to your workpiece or directly to your welding bench, provided it's made from electrically conductive materials such as steel or aluminium. |
