Among the questions most often we feel there are: "What amperage do I have to set for the thickness that I will have to weld in tig?" or "How to choose the tungsten electrode diameter should I use?"
Without losing time in unnecessary introduction to everything concerning TIG welding etc. etc., let's go immediately to the practice.
The distinction to be done is if we are welding in direct current (DC) or alternating (AC)
Continuous current (DC)
Use on: common carbon steel (commonly called "iron"), stainless steel, copper and its alloys, silver, titanium and its alloys.
| Piece thickness (mm) | Current (a) | Typical applications |
| 0,4 | 5-15 | Kitchen accessories |
| 0,6 | 10-30 | Filters in perforated sheet metal |
| 0,8 | 20-40 | Small thick pipes |
| 1,0 | 30-60 | Small tanks, carter, gutters |
| 1,5 | 40-80 | Food industry |
| 2,0 | 70-100 | Chemical industry |
| 3,0 | 80-120 | Medium sized tanks |
| 4,0 | 100-150 | Pressure containers, first passed straight flap tubes |
| 5,0 | 150-260 | Metal carpentry |
| beyond | 250-300 | Railway carriages, naval components |
The following is the table indicating the diameter of the tungsten electrode to be used depending on the current choice:
| Electrode diameter (mm) | Direct current (a) |
| 1,0 | 10-75 |
| 1,6 | 40-120 |
| 2,0 | 100-200 |
| 2,4 | 170-250 |
| 3,2 | 225-330 |
| 4,0 | 300-480 |
AC current (AC)
Use: aluminum and its leagues, magnesium, brass and fusion bronzes
| Piece thickness (mm) | Current (a) | Typical applications |
| 1,0 | 15-35 | Naval constructions |
| 1,5 | 30-60 | Car bodywork |
| 2,0 | 40-70 | Railing railways |
| 3,0 | 60-100 | Silos |
| 4,0 | 90-130 | Tanks |
| 5,0 | 120-170 | Aeronautical sector |
| beyond | over 170 | Military applications |
The following is the table indicating the diameter of the tungsten electrode to be used depending on the current choice:
| Electrode diameter (mm) | Alternating current (a) |
| 1,0 | 20-30 |
| 1,6 | 30-60 |
| 2,0 | 40-80 |
| 2,4 | 60-100 |
| 3,2 | 90-150 |
| 4,0 | 150-200 |
If instead I need advice on which tungsten electrode color, choose, we recommend reading the article that you will find this link
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