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Safety Data Sheets

Argoshield Overview

	Argoshield Light Technical information, applications and packages available		Argoshield Universal Technical information, applications and packages available
	Argoshield Heavy Technical information, applications and packages available

BOC Argoshield is a premium range of shielding gases. Developed primarily for the MIG welding of steel, Argoshield gases deliver improved welding performance and a lower operating cost than other shielding gases. The BOC Argoshield range provides excellent arc stability and high-strength welds. Argoshield gases are easy to use and enable high productivity with minimal spatter to produce good surface appearance and finish. This range can obtain fast travel speeds resulting in minimal distortion, good penetration and fusion with flat weld profiles. Weld characteristics that minimise post-weld treatment and rework contribute to overall cost efficiencies.

Three components are added for specific applications, and each contributes to the performance of the product.

• Argon is used to create a stream of ionised gas (the welding arc). In the MIG process, the generation of this arc allows spray transfer to be achieved. Spray transfer is a very efficient mode of transfer, allowing more weld metal to be deposited than with dip or globular transfer.
• Carbon dioxide is added in various amounts to improve the shape of the weld bead. In the welding arc, carbon dioxide dissociates into carbon monoxide and free oxygen, and it is this dissociation and recombination that adds energy into the weld pool. This energy melts more of the parent material, improving the fusion characteristics of the weld. The higher the level of carbon dioxide in the shielding gas, the larger and more rounded the weld-bead penetration area becomes.
• Oxygen is added to reduce the surface tension of the molten metal and reduce droplet sizes. By reducing the surface tension, it allows the weld bead to spread out or ‘wet in’, lowering the height of the reinforcement. This not only uses less welding wire, lowering the cost, it also reduces the stress at the toe of the weld where cracks can occur.

A range of BOC Argoshield mixtures has been created, each tailored for welding a range of material thickness. The table below offers a guide for the material thickness and which gas to use.

Argoshield Mixture		Material Thickness
Argoshield Light		Material below 4mm thick
Argoshield Universal		Material between 4mm and 10mm thick
Argoshield Heavy		Material for welding above 10mm thick

In general, it is not recommended that Argoshield mixtures be used in conjunction with flux-cored wires. Many of the formulations are particularly sensitive to the oxygen contained within the Argoshield mixtures. If the Argoshield mixtures must be used with flux-cored wires, it is recommended that tests be carried out prior to use.