Titanium and stainless steel are both reactive alloys. When they are heated during the welding process, they will react with any air that is present, causing oxidation, which can lead to a loss of corrosion resistance properties.

Shielding the metal with an inert gas is therefore crucial and one way to measure the oxygen content within the welding zone is by using a weld purge monitor.

Wales-based Huntingdon Fusion Techniques (HFT — www.huntingdonfusion.com), a global leader in this field, has introduced PurgEye Nano designed for welding titanium and high end stainless steel, where oxygen levels are required to be as low as 10ppm (parts per million).

HFT technical sales manager Luke Keane said: “By knowing the exact level of oxygen inside the pipe at all times, the welder knows when to start welding for high-quality results. The PurgEye Nano is our basic entry level 10ppm monitor, which means it is perfect for restricted budgets.

“It is a simple plug and play monitor, ideal for welding titanium, stainless steel and other reactive metals such as zirconium.”

With leak-tight connectors for weld purge hoses, the lightweight PurgEye Nano can be used with optional accessory hand pump and gas sampling probe. The monitor has been developed for weld purging where data logging, alarms and machine control are not necessarily required and has a unique long-life sensor that has a warm-up time under 60sec.

HFT chairman Ron Sewell said: “All of our weld purge monitors and inflatable tube, pipe and pipeline weld purging systems as well as our inflatable welding enclosures, are manufactured in the UK. We do not sacrifice on quality and guarantee 100% craftsmanship.”