Industrial Welding

How Helium Is Used in Welding Fabrication

Helium is a key shielding gas in welding—especially in high-performance or specialized applications. Its unique properties help produce cleaner, deeper, and hotter welds, making it valuable in industries like aerospace, automotive, defense, and shipbuilding.

Roles of Helium in Welding Processes

1. Shielding Gas in TIG and MIG Welding

Helium is often blended with argon or used pure in:

TIG (GTAW) – Gas Tungsten Arc Welding

MIG (GMAW) – Gas Metal Arc Welding

It protects the weld pool from atmospheric gases like nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen, preventing defects like porosity or oxidation.

2. Enhancing Arc Characteristics

Helium creates a hotter arc with:

Deeper penetration

Faster travel speeds

Cleaner welds on metals like:

Aluminum,, +Stainless steel

Copper

Titanium

3. Used in Plasma Welding & Laser Welding

Helium helps concentrate the energy beam in laser and plasma welding.

Used where precision and cleanliness are critical.

Typical Applications

Aerospace components

Pressure vessels and pipelines

Medical devices

Defense hardware

Shipbuilding and offshore rigs

Helium Market Size in Welding Fabrication (2024)

Global helium market (2024): ~$6 billion

Welding fabrication accounts for ~10–12% of helium use

That’s about $600 million to $720 million annually

Future Market Size and Trends (2025–2030)

Growth Factors:

Increasing demand for lightweight and high-strength materials

Growth in automated and robotic welding

Expansion of industries like aerospace, EV manufacturing, and renewable energy

Forecasted Helium Use in Welding

2024 ~10–12% $600M–$720M

2027~11–13% $700M–$850M

2030~12–14% $800M–$1B

CAGR: Estimated 4–6% growth in helium demand for welding

Challenges and Shifts

Opportunities:

Helium is critical for exotic material welding and precision components

Growth in aerospace, defense, and nuclear welding applications

Advanced additive manufacturing (3D printing) also uses helium in metal powder fusion

Constraints:

Helium cost volatility → Shift toward argon-helium blends

Emerging helium conservation systems in industrial welding

Some applications switching to argon, argon/CO₂, or argon/H₂ blends to reduce cost

Key Users of Helium in Welding:

Aerospace firms: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Airbus

Fabricators & EPCs: Bechtel, Fluor, Huntington Ingalls, GE Power