How to weld titanium shimstock
How to weld titanium shimstock
(OP)
Looking for a little help on my application.
I need to create cylinders out of 0.003" thick titanium by wrapping the material around a form (solid cylinder with a groove cut out for weld tool) and then spot welding the overlapping ends.
The specs are: 0.003" thick titanium (MIL-T-9046, COMP CP-1, GRADE 4).
Currently, even our lowest setting on our smallest welder is easily burning holes through it. A little research has lead me to believe I need to use a small "dental welder" or "hobby welder" but would like the advice of the members here.
Anybody come across something like this? Anyone recomend a machine or process?
Steve
I need to create cylinders out of 0.003" thick titanium by wrapping the material around a form (solid cylinder with a groove cut out for weld tool) and then spot welding the overlapping ends.
The specs are: 0.003" thick titanium (MIL-T-9046, COMP CP-1, GRADE 4).
Currently, even our lowest setting on our smallest welder is easily burning holes through it. A little research has lead me to believe I need to use a small "dental welder" or "hobby welder" but would like the advice of the members here.
Anybody come across something like this? Anyone recomend a machine or process?
Steve





RE: How to weld titanium shimstock
RE: How to weld titanium shimstock
Ti is normally not acceptable for use above 400 deg C because it will exhibit very poor oxidation resistance. Why was this material selected?
RE: How to weld titanium shimstock
http://www.mpdwelding.com/microtig.htm
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RE: How to weld titanium shimstock
I did read something somewhere about spotwelding Niobium underwater, might be applicable to Ti as well...then again, might be a good way to electrocute somebody. Control of heat input via micro-tig and pulsed power supplies is going to help a bunch. In the end, getting the heat out of the Titanium is going to be the tricky part for such a thin gauge of material.
RE: How to weld titanium shimstock
Our welder has a micro-setup but it is slow and expensive. I was hoping for something a little easier/dirtier that we can pump out lots of these. I don't want to get tunnel vision, but I envisioned a mini spotwelder to perform the job, however I'm not a welding expert so the recommendations are appreciated.
RE: How to weld titanium shimstock
RE: How to weld titanium shimstock
If you have good clean steady power from you welding power supply and an older welder. good eye sight, you might be able to use a resistance box to get the current down. this might not work for your material and thickness. I've seen such a rig work with 0.008" SS, much easier to weld than Ti.
I would also contact Weld Logic concerning your production problem. They should be able to give you some very specific advice and they may have some surplus equipment.
http://www.weldlogic.com/index.html
RE: How to weld titanium shimstock
We did it in a glove box to minimize oxygen pick up.
If you don't need full welds in these then you could make a series of 1/2" long stitch welds quickly.
You need to have no oxygen present. You might want to play with spot welding inside an argon purged glove box.
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