Industrial Argon Supply in Pittsburgh & Western PA
Greco Gas provides argon supply to Pittsburgh welders, metal fabricators, and manufacturers, in high-pressure cylinders, liquid cylinders, and microbulk. Argon is colorless and odorless, both as a gas and as a liquid. Here in the Pittsburgh area, Greco Gas customers in the metal fabrication and welding industries use argon for MIG welding aluminum and TIG welding steel, stainless, and sheet metal.
Argon is also the base of most MIG shielding gas mixtures. Greco Gas' gas blending facility in Tarentum produces standard and custom blends, including C25 (75% argon and 25% carbon dioxide) for MIG work on mild steel, along with C10, C8, and Stainless C2.
Argon Gas Applications
- Flushing molten metals, liquids and foods to eliminate porosity or air bubbles
- Blanketing gas
- Filling incandescent and fluorescent lamps and other lighted tubes
- Inert gas shield for arc welding
Industrial Uses
Argon Shielding Gas for MIG and TIG Welding
Argon is the most widely used shielding gas in welding. Because it is inert and heavier than air, it blankets the weld pool and keeps oxygen, nitrogen, and moisture out of the weld. Pure argon is the standard choice for TIG welding steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, and for MIG welding aluminum. For MIG welding carbon steel, argon is blended with carbon dioxide or oxygen to stabilize the arc and improve penetration. See our full selection of shielding and welding gases.
Flushing
Argon's inert, tasteless, and colorless characteristics make it a good choice to pass through metals, liquids, and food to prevent oxidation by flushing out residual oxygen. In food and beverage production, argon is used in some modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) applications and in wine making to protect products from oxidation. In steelmaking, argon stirring and purging help remove dissolved gases and inclusions from molten metal, reducing porosity and producing a cleaner, stronger metal.
Lights & Lamps
When electric current passes through argon, its atoms become excited and release that energy as light. Argon is one of several gases used this way in sealed light sources, including many "neon" sign tubes. Argon's blanketing property also protects delicate tungsten filaments, extending the life of incandescent bulbs and fluorescent tubes.
Blanketing Gas for Heat Treating
Argon is an inert gas and makes an excellent shield against oxygen in atmosphere-controlled furnaces and heat treating ovens, which optimizes results and prevents impurities and oxidation in metal treating.
3-D Printing
In metal additive manufacturing, including 3-D printing, argon creates an inert atmosphere that keeps oxygen from reacting with the metal powder, producing cleaner, stronger parts.
Argon and Argon/CO2 Welding Mixes
Most MIG welding on carbon steel uses an argon blend rather than pure argon. Greco Gas fills the most common mixes in-house at our Tarentum facility and can produce custom gas mixtures to your specification.
| Mix | Composition | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Pure Argon | 100% Argon | TIG welding all metals, MIG welding aluminum |
| C25 | 75% Argon / 25% CO2 | Short-circuit MIG on mild steel, general fabrication |
| C10 | 90% Argon / 10% CO2 | Spray and pulsed MIG on thicker carbon steel |
| C8 | 92% Argon / 8% CO2 | Spray, pulsed, and short-circuit MIG on carbon steel |
| Stainless C2 | 98% Argon / 2% CO2 | Spray and pulsed MIG on stainless steel |
Grades of Argon
Greco Gas fills argon in four grades. Industrial grade covers most MIG and TIG welding, blanketing, and heat treating. Higher purity grades are used for welding titanium and other reactive metals, as well as for laboratory and analytical work through our high purity gas program.
| Grade | Minimum Purity | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra-High Purity (UHP) | 99.999% | Welding titanium and reactive metals, lab and analytical work |
| High Purity | [CONFIRM WITH GRECO] | Sensitive welding and laboratory applications |
| Pre-Purified | [CONFIRM WITH GRECO] | Laboratory use, purging, instrument applications |
| Industrial | [CONFIRM WITH GRECO] | MIG and TIG welding, blanketing, heat treating |
Argon Cylinder Sizes and Supply Options
The right argon setup depends on how much you weld and how often you change cylinders. Greco Gas supplies everything from a single argon gas cylinder to an on-site bulk tank.
| Cylinder | Approximate Gas Volume | Dimensions | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| AR | 20 cu. ft. | 5.5" x 14.6" | Portable and field work, small repairs |
| AU | 40 cu. ft. | 7" x 17.7" | Light-duty shops, occasional TIG work |
| AQ | 83 cu. ft. | 7" x 33" | Small fabrication and maintenance shops |
| AS | 154 cu. ft. | 7" x 48" | Regular shop use, single welding station |
| AT | 336 cu. ft. | 9" x 55" | Production welding, multi-shift shops |
| AC (12-Cylinder Cluster) | 4,032 cu. ft. | 12 x AT cylinders | High-volume shops with multiple welding stations |
| AG (Liquid) | 4,110 cu. ft. | 20" x 63.5" | Steady high-volume use, multi-station shops |
| AL (Liquid) | 6,073 cu. ft. | 26" x 53" | Highest-volume portable supply before microbulk |
