What does GTAW use for its electrode?

• A. A consumable tungsten electrode which provides the arc and filler
• B. A nonconsumable tungsten electrode which provides the arc but no filler
• C. Graphite electrode
• D. Copper electrode

Answer: (B)

GTAW uses a nonconsumable tungsten electrode to create the arc. The tungsten electrode stays intact and does not melt into the weld, which is why it’s described as nonconsumable. If filler metal is needed, it is supplied separately by a filler rod and added to the weld pool, not from the electrode itself. Other electrode types like graphite or copper aren’t used for GTAW, and a consumable tungsten would deposit material into the weld, which GTAW intentionally avoids. So the arc is produced by a nonconsumable tungsten electrode, with filler metal added separately as needed.