Inert Shielding Gas Monitor for Stainless Steel Welding

Inert shielding gas is used to protect high integrity welds from oxygen and water vapor during TIG (GTAW) and plasma welding processes. When welding tanks, vessels, chambers and pipes, the most cost effective inert gas used for shielding is argon, which is heavier than air and displaces the air containing oxygen and water upwards and out of a vent tube that can be fed to a Weld Purge Monitor® from Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® (Burry Port, UK). This weld purging process ensures oxide-free, metallurgically sound welds in critical joints made of stainless steel, titanium and other refractory metals. During stainless steel welding, the oxygen content must be purged down to a level lower than 100 ppm. Titanium and other sensitive materials may have to be purged down to 20 ppm to obtain oxide-free joints, which is why measuring the oxygen level in shielding gas is crucial. The low cost, hand-held, battery-operated HFT PurgEye® 100 is perfect for obtaining zero color, oxide-free welds in stainless steel, reading accurately from atmospheric oxygen level (20.94 percent), right down to 100 ppm (0.01 percent).

The PurgEye 100 is IP65-rated and comes with leak-tight push buttons, auto calibration features, vacuum-sealed leak-tight probe assembly, wrist/neck strap and a tripod mount long-life sensor. Its extra-long life sensor provides approximately 18 months life before it requires changing. A low-sensor indicator will appear on the screen, warning that a new sensor is required. Once that icon appears, it provides the user with adequate time to obtain a new sensor that can be fitted like changing a battery, and the monitor can be re-calibrated easily by the user. With a clear, easy-to-read LCD screen, the PurgEye 100 boasts a 24 mm high display with features such as a low-battery icon as well as the low-sensor icon. When the monitor is not in use, an automatic sleep mode activates to conserve battery life.

COB Industries, Inc., 6909 Vickie Circle, Melbourne, FL 32904, 321-723-3200, general@cob-industries.com, cob-industries.com.