SUPPLYING SHIELDING GAS

A flexible articulate tubular device has a shank, a plurality of pivot rings, and a terminus with heat sensors and a fiber optic device. The flexible articulate tubular device is initially positioned, either manually or automatically, near a target weld path with the aid of the fiber optic device. The flexible articulate tubular device is then more precisely articulated to direct the terminus along the target weld path, with the aid of the heat sensors. As such, the flexible articulate tubular device operates in a heat seeking manner to follow the weld bead. Ultimately, a gaseous flux is supplied along the flexible articulate tubular device and toward the target weld path, so as to blast the weld bead with an anti-oxidation shield gas and thereby protect the weld.