Meeting the Gold Standard for Metal Performance in Space

Decades of expertise in metal fabrication and first-hand experience gained from the successful completion of countless challenging customer projects worldwide have inspired our comprehensive range of shielding gases. This vast portfolio means that customers can select the solution offering the best results for every welding task and every welding process in the fabrication of spacecraft such as satellites. Especially with the high-quality alloys and light metals used in aircraft and space, the best possible results must be achieved - and this is precisely where our shielding and process gases come into play. Benefits of the right shielding/process gas on the weld quality include:

• Improved arc stability
• Impact on viscosity / surface tension
• Improved repeatability
• Less porosity or other discontinuities
• Increased building speed
• Safer penetration
• Less oxidation
• Smoother surface - for near net shape
• Less spattering

In metal fabrication, the flame temperature and intensity depend on the fuel gases used and the oxygen mixing ratio. Customers rely on us for both compressed and liquid oxygen supplies as well as oxygen mixtures with argon, helium and nitrogen. Argon, for instance, has a much higher density than air, making it an effective shielding gas. It is often used when nitrogen is too reactive. Because of the high quality of argon-welded seams, this gas is used to manufacture power generation equipment and fuel tanks for spacecraft. Also popular is our ALUGON^TM family, for instance. This solution uses active gas doping to give welders exceptional precision in metal inert gas (MIG) welding of aluminum, thus enabling the best results for challenging applications in space hardware. Similarly, our ARCLINE^TM mixture was developed specifically to take welding of aluminum, high-alloyed steels and titanium to the next level.

Other shielding gas solutions particularly suited to the quality-critical demands of arc welding for space include our CRONIGON^TM portfolio for the MIG welding of (super-duplex) stainless steels and their alloys and our VARIGON^TM series for tungsten insert gas (TIG) orbital welding of materials such as stainless steels and their duplexes - all materials commonly used in the space industry. Last but not least, our back-purging FORMIER^TM family can eliminate the need for post-weld cleaning with the added bonus of low surface oxidation when working with austenitic stainless steels.

Reach out to your local Linde contact for details on the highly productive shielding gases that are available for MIG, TIG or plasma welding in your area. Complementing our proven portfolio, we also support aerospace customers through the development of custom blends that accommodate the dynamic development of new materials and challenging welding tasks.

Laser cutting and welding have become indispensable techniques for the demanding requirements of spacecraft and satellite metal fabrication, offering unmatched precision, reliability and flexibility. In laser cutting, highly focused beams of light enable engineers to shape metals with micron-level accuracy. Laser welding plays an equally vital role, providing strong, clean and low-distortion joints in thin-walled structures, fuel tanks, propulsion systems and pressure vessels made from titanium, stainless steel, aluminum, copper and brass.

Our LASERLINE^® portfolio for laser welding, cutting and surface treatment was developed to meet the highest demands for precision, accuracy and performance. This one-stop offering covers the full spectrum from pure gases and bespoke gas mixtures through tailored, high-quality supply systems to comprehensive services - all backed by our extensive process know-how in this state-of-the-art technique. Our LASERMIX^® gas mixtures are ideal for CO₂ laser systems. Reaching beyond pure laser gases, our LASGON^® program comprises custom process gas mixtures for laser welding of mild and stainless steels, copper and brass. Each mixture is tailored to the task at hand to create the perfect fit for every material challenge in space hardware.

Thermal spraying and coating is an effective way to improve the wear, corrosion and heat resistance of a metal workpiece - both for new parts and repairs. It is widely deployed in metal fabrication for space hardware given its ability to elevate the performance and durability of metals and meet the most demanding specifications. In fact, aerospace requirements have long been the key driving force behind new developments in thermal spraying and coating. One engine, for example, has more than 200 parts coated with thermal sprays.

Industrial gases and a complementary gas supply system play a key role in achieving the specified surface finish and material properties. Our LINSPRAY^® portfolio for thermal spraying brings you customized gas mixtures and tailored supply concepts suited to all thermal spraying techniques - from high-velocity oxyfuel spraying (HVOF) through plasma spraying to cold spraying.

Particularly in the case of cold spraying, gas pressure and purity are essential to achieve coatings that have extremely high bond strengths and are exceptionally dense. Our LINSPRAY gas supply solutions for cold spraying are engineered to deliver a reliable, stable and high-quality gas flow with minimal variation. Developed in collaboration with Impact Innovations, our LINSPRAY^® Connect gas supply solution is designed specifically to meet the high-pressure specifications of cold spray systems. So you can execute your spacecraft coating and repair processes to the gold standards dictated by space.

Metal fabrication methods such as directed energy deposition with an electric arc as the energy source (DED-arc) enjoy widespread popularity in the manufacture of space hardware. Processes such as this require inert gases like nitrogen, argon and helium. The inert properties of these gases help create the controlled, low-impurity environment needed in the additive manufacturing print or build chamber. DED-arc also relies on process gases which can be metallurgically reactive and are often based on a tailored gas mix.

We offer specially blended gas solutions enabling you to protect and fine-tune the material properties of parts printed with DED-arc.