• In the TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding process, an essentially non-consumable tungsten electrode is used to provide an electric arc for welding. A sheath of inert gas surrounds the electrode, the arc, and the area to be welded.
• TIG welding differs from MIG (metal inert gas) welding in that the electrode is not consumed in the weld. In the MIG welding process the electrode is continuously melted and is added into the weld. In TIG welding, no metal is added unless a separate filler rod is used.
• TIG welding can be performed with a large variety of metals.
• The two most commonly TIG welded metals in the PRL are steel and aluminum.
• Steel is relatively easy to TIG weld and it is possible to produce very tight, neat welds. Aluminum takes a little more skill, and one should have at least a little bit of experience in welding steel before making the transition to aluminum.
• However, the basic technique is essentially the same and most people can make the jump to aluminum fairly easily.

To read the original article please click:

http://prl.stanford.edu/documents/pdf/TIGweld.pdf