11401168 - Tweco WS14-40 Contact Tip 0.040 Inch (25 Pack)

Technical Overview of Tweco 1140-1168 Contact Tips

The Tweco 1140-1168 (Model WS14-40) is a standard-duty contact tip designed for MIG welding applications utilizing 0.040-inch (1.0mm) welding wire. As part of the widely utilized Tweco 14 Series, this consumable is engineered to fit Tweco Professional No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4 MIG guns, as well as the WeldSkill series and various other MIG guns that accept standard Tweco-style consumables. The contact tip plays a critical role in the welding circuit, transferring the welding current to the wire as it passes through the bore. The WS14-40 is precision-drilled to a specific tolerance that accommodates 0.040" wire, ensuring a consistent electrical contact point while allowing for smooth wire feeding without binding.

Manufactured from a high-quality copper alloy, these tips are designed to withstand the thermal cycling inherent in industrial welding environments. The copper construction facilitates rapid heat dissipation, which helps prevent the tip from overheating and softening during prolonged welds. This thermal management is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of the tip's exit bore; a deformed bore can lead to wandering arcs and poor weld bead placement. The tip features a standard 1/4"-28 UNF thread, allowing for quick and secure installation into compatible gas diffusers (such as the Tweco 52 and 54 series).

This product is supplied in a package of 25 units, making it an ideal stock item for maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) departments and fabrication shops with high throughput. Regular replacement of contact tips is necessary to maintain weld quality, as worn tips can cause micro-arcing inside the bore (burnback) and unstable arc characteristics. The 0.040" size is a specialized diameter often used in applications where 0.035" is too light for the deposition rate required, but 0.045" provides too much heat input or puddle volume.

Specifications and Compatibility

The WS14-40 tip has an overall length of 1.5 inches (38.1mm) and an outside diameter of 0.375 inches (9.5mm). It is strictly compatible with wire diameters of 0.040 inches. Users should verify that their wire drive rolls and gun liners are also sized for 0.040" wire to ensure the entire feeding system operates in harmony. This tip is not suitable for 0.035" or 0.045" wire; using incorrect sizes will result in either poor conductivity or wire jamming.