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How Are Titanium Alloys Welded? Processes and Parameters

Published: By XCM CNC view: 299

This technical guide compares the relative weldability of commercially pure titanium and several titanium alloys, then presents practical process data for gas tungsten arc welding, plasma arc welding, and electron beam welding. It covers GTAW groove types and dimensions, shielding arrangements for the weld pool and heat-affected zone, and parameter tables for manual and automatic welding. Additional tables summarize plasma arc and electron beam settings by workpiece thickness, including current, voltage, travel speed, filler-wire feed, nozzle size, and argon flow. The tabulated values relate to the listed workpiece thicknesses and process conditions rather than universal qualification limits.

Titanium and titanium alloys can be joined by gas tungsten arc, plasma arc, and electron beam welding. Alloy weldability varies, and successful welding depends on joint geometry, clean edges, effective shielding of the hot metal, and process settings matched to workpiece thickness. The tables below compare weldability and give groove dimensions, gas flow, and welding parameters for the listed conditions.

Weldability of Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Alloy Relative weldability
Commercially pure titanium Excellent weldability
Ti-5Al-2.5Sn Fair weldability
Ti-5Al-2.5Sn (very low impurity content) Excellent weldability
Ti-0.2Pd Excellent weldability
Ti-5Mo-5V-8Cr-3Al Fair weldability
Ti-3Al-8Mo-11Cr Fair weldability
Ti-5Al-4V Fair weldability
Ti-6Al-4V Fair weldability
Ti-6Al-4V (very low impurity content) Excellent weldability
Ti-6Al-1.5Cr-2.5Mo-0.5Fe-0.3Si Poor weldability; limited to special applications
Ti-6Al-6V-2Sn Poor weldability; limited to special applications

Note: The heat in a welded joint depends to a large extent on groove-surface roughness, edge cleanliness, and the preweld preparation of the titanium material.

Titanium and Titanium Alloy Welding Processes

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding of Titanium and Titanium Alloys

1. Groove Types and Dimensions for GTAW of Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Groove type Workpiece thickness, δ/mm Groove dimensions
Gap/mm Root face/mm Angle/(°)
I-groove 0.5~2.3 0 – –
0.8~3.2 0~0.1 δ – –
V-groove 1.6~6.4 0~1.0 δ (0.1~0.2) δ 30~60
3.0~13 30~90
X-groove 6.4~38 30~90
U-groove 6.4~25 15~30
Double-U groove 19~51 15~30

[IMAGE PLACEHOLDER: Titanium GTAW Groove Types and Dimensions]

2. Shielding Measures for GTAW of Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Category Shielded area Shielding measure Application and characteristics
Local shielding Weld pool and surrounding area Use a cylindrical or elliptical nozzle that provides effective shielding and increase the argon flow accordingly. Suitable for workpieces with regular weld geometry and simple construction; convenient to operate and highly flexible.
Weld and heat-affected zone at temperatures ≥400°C
  1. Add a shielding cover or a double-layer nozzle.
  2. Supply argon to both sides of the weld.
  3. Use baffles shaped to the workpiece to restrict argon flow.
Weld root and heat-affected zone at temperatures ≥400°C
  1. Use an argon-fed backing plate or fill the workpiece cavity with argon.
  2. Apply local argon shielding.
  3. Place the joint close to a metal plate.
Argon-filled enclosure shielding Entire workpiece
  1. For a flexible enclosure made of nylon film, rubber, or similar material, purge it repeatedly with argon without evacuation to increase argon purity; nozzle shielding is still required during welding.
  2. For a rigid enclosure, or a flexible enclosure with a rigid cover, evacuate the enclosure and then fill it with argon.
 Suitable for structurally complex workpieces with poor welding access.
Enhanced cooling Weld and heat-affected zone
  1. Use cooling blocks, with or without water circulation.
  2. Conduct heat through tooling matched to the workpiece shape.
  3. Reduce heat input.
 Used with other shielding measures to improve protection.

3. Manual GTAW Parameters for Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Workpiece thickness/mm Groove type Tungsten electrode diameter/mm Filler-wire diameter/mm Number of weld passes Welding current/A Argon flow/(L/min) Nozzle orifice diameter/mm Remarks
Face side Trailing shield Root side
0.5 I-groove butt joint 1.5 1.0 1 30~50 8~10 14~16 6~8 10 Butt-joint gap: 0.5 mm
1.0 2.0 1.0~2.0 1 40~60 8~10 14~16 6~8 10
1.5 2.0 1.0~2.0 1 60~80 10~12 14~16 8~10 10~12
2.0 2.0~3.0 1.0~2.0 1 80~110 12~14 16~20 10~12 12~14
2.5 2.0~3.0 2.0 1 110~120 12~14 16~20 10~12 12~14
3.0 V-groove butt joint 3.0 2.0~3.0 1~2 120~140 12~14 16~20 10~12 14~18 Groove gap: 2~3 mm; root face: 0.5 mm. A steel backing plate is placed under the weld, and the groove angle is 60°~65°.
3.5 3.0~4.0 2.0~3.0 1~2 120~140 12~14 16~20 10~12 14~18
4.0 3.0~4.0 2.0~3.0 2 130~150 14~16 20~25 12~14 18~20
5.0 4.0 3.0 2~3 130~150 14~16 20~25 12~14 18~20
6.0 4.0 3.0~4.0 2~3 140~180 14~16 25~28 12~14 18~20
7.0 4.0 3.0~4.0 2~3 140~180 14~16 25~28 12~14 20~22
8.0 4.0 3.0~4.0 3~4 140~180 14~16 25~28 12~14 20~22

4. Automatic GTAW Parameters for Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Workpiece thickness/mm Tungsten electrode diameter/mm Filler-wire diameter/mm Welding current/A Arc voltage/V Travel speed/(m/min) Wire-feed speed/(m/min) Groove type Number of weld passes Argon flow/(L/min)
Face side Root side Trailing shield
0.5 1.5 – 25~40 8~10 – – – 1 – – –
0.8 1.5 – 45~55 0.2~0.4 – 1 8~12 2~4 10~15
1.0 1.6 – 50~65 0.3~0.5 – 1
1.2 2.0 – 75~90 10~12 0.15~0.45 0.25~0.45 – 1 10~15 3~6 12~18
1.5 2.0 1.2~1.6 90~120 – 1
2.0 2.5 1.6~2.0 140~160 10~14 0.15~0.40 0.25~0.60 – 1
2.5 3.0 1.6~2.0 180~220 0.25~0.75 – 1
3.0 3.0 2.0~3.0 200~240 14~16 0.30~0.33 0.30~0.85 – 1 12~14 10~12 16~18
4.0 3.0 3.0 200~260 – 12 mm gap 2 14~16 12~14 18~20
6.0 4.0 3.0 240~280 14~18 0.30~0.35 – V60° 3 14~16 20~24
10 4.0 3.0 200~260 0.15~0.20 – V60° 3 14~16 20~24

Plasma Arc Welding of Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Workpiece thickness/mm Nozzle orifice diameter/mm Welding current/A Welding voltage/V Travel speed/(m/min) Wire-feed speed/(m/min) Filler-wire diameter/mm Argon flow/(L/min)
Plasma gas Shielding gas Trailing shield Root side
0.2 0.8 5 – 7.5 – – 0.25 10 – 2
0.4 0.8 6 – 7.5 – – 0.25 10 – 2
1 1.5 35 18 12 – – 0.5 12 15 2
3 3.5 150 24 23 60 1.5 4 15 20 6
6 3.5 160 30 18 68 1.5 7 20 25 15
8 3.5 172 30 18 72 1.5 7 20 25 15
10 3.5 250 25 9 46 1.5 7 20 25 15

titanium alloy machined parts

Electron Beam Welding of Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Workpiece thickness/mm Accelerating voltage/V Electron beam current/mA Travel speed/(m/min) Remarks
1.0 13 50 2.1 –
1.3 85 4 1.52 –
2.0 18.5 90 1.90 –
3.0 20.0 95 0.80 –
5.08 12.5 8 0.46 High voltage
28 180 1.27 High voltage
9.5~11.4 36 220~230 1.4~1.52 –
12.7 37 310 2.29 Full penetration
19 80 2.29 Weld surface
16.0 30 260 1.50 –
25.0 40 350 1.30 –
25.4 23 300 0.38 –
50.0 45 450 0.70 –
50.8 46 495 1.04 Full penetration
19 105 1.04 Weld surface
57.2 48 450 0.76 Full penetration
20 110 0.76 Weld surface

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