When welding titanium using the GTAW / TIG process, the gas shield from the welding torch needs extending for protection from oxidation and for productivity. Although welders use larger than normal gas cup to provide a big surface area of protection, this still limits the speed at which they can move the welding torch. In order to provide additional surface protection and also to weld faster, Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® has manufactured a range of Weld Trailing Shields®, effectively long gas cups fixed onto and dragged along behind the welding torch, which ensures the weld remains under an argon gas shield until the metal has cooled below its oxidation temperature.
These lightweight devices simply attach to all standard manual or automatic TIG/GTAW and Plasma/PAW welding torches and will at least double the area being shielded as well as allowing access to tiny spaces. For manual welding, the welder finds that with this low cost tool, there is no difficulty in dragging it along the surface being welded. One further benefit is that it carries the welding torch at 90o to the weld. With automatic welding machines it is possible to raise the welding speed dramatically and enjoy the major benefits of automatic welding.