What types of base metals can be welded using GTAW?

GTAW, or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding, is a versatile welding process that allows for the joining of a wide range of base metals. The correct choice highlights that stainless steel, aluminum, copper, and titanium can all be successfully welded using GTAW. Each of these metals has properties that are conducive to the GTAW process: stainless steel’s corrosion resistance, aluminum’s lightweight characteristics, copper’s excellent electrical conductivity, and titanium’s high strength-to-weight ratio.

GTAW is particularly well-suited for these materials because it provides a high level of precision and control, which is essential when working with metals often used in critical applications. The process uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode, which permits the welder to use filler metals that can match or complement the properties of the base metals being joined.

The other options limit the scope of materials that can be welded; for instance, suggesting that only stainless steel and aluminum can be welded does not account for the versatility inherent in GTAW. Additionally, limiting potential materials to only copper and brass would overlook many applicable metals. Lastly, the mention of plastics and wood is entirely outside the scope of traditional GTAW applications, as this process is designed for metallic materials rather than non-metallic substrates.