Tungsten electrodes

The E3^® PRO tungsten electrode with the color code purple & gold can be used for all processes. It is a further development of the successful E3^® from ABICOR BINZEL. Thanks to its special composition of rare earth oxides and a newly developed manufacturing process, its structure is particularly fine and homogeneous. As a result, it has even better ignition properties – in the low ampere range these are even significantly better – and has an even longer service life than its predecessor. The E3^® PRO TIG electrode can be used with direct current as well as alternating current, for manual welding as well as in automated applications. In addition, the E3^® PRO is absolutely non-toxic for people and the environment. If you want to play it safe when TIG welding, the E3^® PRO is a tungsten electrode that can be used for all applications and materials.

Color coding with rare earths:

• Gold-Purple = E3^® PRO

The tungsten electrode E3^® (purple) developed by ABICOR BINZEL with oxides of rare earths as doping elements is suitable for both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC) welding. Practically any metal can be welded with it. Because of its excellent ignition properties, it is therefore also often used for automated processes. During the welding process, the electrode temperature remains consistently low, which in turn ensures better current carrying capacity and a longer service life compared to thoriated electrodes. The latter may only be used in exceptional cases because of their extremely harmful effects.

Colour coding with oxides of rare earths:

• Purple = E3^®

Colour coding with lanthanum oxide:

• Black = WLa 10 – with 0.8 to 1.2 % lanthanum oxide
• Gold = WLa 15 – with 1.3 to 1.7 % lanthanum oxide
• Blue = WLa 20 – with 1.7 to 2.2 % lanthanum oxide

The doping element cerium oxide makes this TIG welding electrode more resilient than an electrode with pure tungsten – but less than the E3® and lanthanum electrodes. This type of tungsten electrode is used primarily in the medium and lower current range for welding unalloyed and high-alloy steels as well as aluminum, copper, nickel, titanium and magnesium alloys. They can be used for both alternating current welding and direct current welding – however, less well than the E3^® electrode from ABICOR BINZEL.

Colour coding with cerium oxide:

• Grey = WCe 20 – with 1.8 to 2.2 % cerium oxide

The green undoped tungsten electrode was developed for welding with sinusoidal alternating current especially for light metals. It is not suitable for direct current welding. As the green pure tungsten electrode prevents the formation of a pure square wave due to its inertia and high work function, it is not recommended to use this welding electrode with inverter power sources. The ideal replacement for the green tungsten electrode is the E3®.

Colour coding with pure tungsten:

• Green = W – made of pure tungsten without any oxide component

With its doping element zirconium oxide this tungsten electrode reduces the risk of contaminating the weld pool. This TIG welding electrode is mainly used for AC welding, because it is not only suitable for DC welding to a limited extent. In AC welding, this doping element ensures a very stable dome. On the other hand, a tungsten electrode with zirconia does not ignite as well.

Both ABICOR BINZEL all-rounder electrodes for TIG welding E3^® and E3^® PRO produce the best welding result if they are ground at an angle of 60 degrees and used in the intended current range. More acute angles of around 30 degrees are more suitable for the lower current range. In this case it is better to switch to a thinner electrode.

With a more obtuse grinding angle of 60 degrees, a narrower weld pool, a high current carrying capacity and longer service life can be achieved.