OM-194 199 Page 28
6-16. Common MIG Shielding Gases

This is a general chart for common gases and where they are used. Many different combinations (mixtures) of

shielding gases have been developed over the years. The most commonly used shielding gases are listed in the

following table.

Application
Gas Spray Arc Steel Short Circuiting Steel Short Circuiting
Stainless Steel Short Circuiting
Aluminum
Argon All Positions
Argon + 25% CO2Flat & Horizontal1 Fillet All Positions All Positions2
CO2Flat & Horizontal1 Fillet All Positions
Tri-Mix3All Positions
1 Globular Transfer
2 Single Pass Welding Only
3 90% HE + 7-1/2% AR + 2-1/2% CO2