PAW and TIG both use a tungsten electrode and shielding gas, but PAW generates a plasma arc with a higher temperature (20,000 °C vs. about 6,000 °C in TIG) and greater energy density. PAW penetrates the material more deeply in a single pass, is 40–80% faster, and is less sensitive to changes in arc length. TIG is simpler and cheaper to operate; PAW is more efficient on thicker materials.