Tungsten is a rare metallic element used for manufacturing gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) electrodes. The GTAW process relies on tungsten's hardness and high-temperature resistance to carry the welding current to the arc. Tungsten has the highest melting point of any metal, 3,410 degrees Celsius.

APPLICATIONS

These electrodes perform best in DC welding at low current settings but can be used proficiently in AC processes. With its excellent arc starts at low amperages, ceriated tungsten has become popular in such applications as orbital tube and pipe fabricating, thin sheet metal work, and jobs involving small and delicate parts. Like thorium, it is best used to weld carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel alloys, and titanium, and in some cases, it can replace 2 percent thoriated electrodes. Ceriated tungsten has slightly different electrical characteristics than thorium, but most welders can't tell the difference.