Aluminum is the material of choice for reducing weight while maintaining stability in bicycle or motorcycle frames, truck trailers, rail vehicle profiles, and space travel materials. A beautifully welded aluminum seam is also a real eye-catcher.
Aluminum has become an essential component of modern manufacturing due to its low density and high strength. In addition to all of the benefits, there are some challenges in processing this metal.
Anyone who has ever accidentally burned a hole in an aluminum sheet understands what we mean. Aluminum welding necessitates specialized knowledge and skills. Learn more about what is important for aluminum welding and how to weld aluminum properly in this blog.
Why Aluminum Welding is Difficult?
Aluminum is a common metal used in manufacturing. It’s non-corrosive, lightweight, and visually appealing, making it an excellent choice for a wide range of welds. However, the same characteristics that make aluminum desirable can make it difficult to work with.
So, what is it about aluminum that makes it so difficult to weld? This material is soft and highly sensitive, with a tough oxidized layer protecting it. Aluminum is susceptible to impurities while molten, which can result in porous, weak welds.
Aluminum and its alloys are extremely reactive to oxygen. The metal itself melts at 1,200°F (650°C), while the oxide that protects it melts at 3,700°F (2,037°C). Because the oxide melts at temperatures around 2,500°F (1,370°C) higher than the aluminum itself, the metal must be cleaned before welding can begin.
Because aluminum has a higher thermal conductivity and a lower melting point than other metals, it has a narrower window of workability and is more prone to burn through. This, combined with the difficulty of indicating weld progress and quality, can make aluminum a difficult material to work with.
How to Weld Aluminum?
It all comes down to selecting the right welding process when it comes to welding aluminum. There are many tools and methods for welding steel, but aluminum requires its technique and equipment.
Before beginning the welding process, the welder must thoroughly clean the aluminum. As previously stated, one of the difficulties with aluminum is that it is more prone to impurities. As a result, proper material preparation is critical.
Welding Aluminium – Process
- To remove any oil, grease, or water vapor from the aluminum’s surface, use acetone or a mild alkaline solution such as a strong soap.
- To remove surface oxides, use a stainless-steel wire brush (only for aluminum). This can also be accomplished using a strong alkaline or acid. Before welding, always thoroughly rinse and dry the part.
- Assemble the joint and cover it if you aren’t going to weld it right away. This will keep dirt and grit from clogging the joint.
- Keep your aluminum dry and at room temperature at all times. If it hasn’t been welded within a few days, clean the joint again.
Another critical aspect of welding aluminum, or any material for that matter, is safety. Wear goggles, safety glasses, a welding helmet with the appropriate lens shade number to protect your eyes, gloves, and leather to protect your hands from metal sparks and splatters, proper shoes to protect your feet, and proper fume ventilation to keep welding fumes away from your breathing zone.
Different Aluminum Welding Techniques
If you’re wondering how to weld aluminum, you should know that there are several welding processes available:
- GTAW/TIG welding
- GMAW/MIG welding
- SMAW welding
- Resistance welding
- Laser beam and electron beam welding
Conclusion:
Learning how to weld aluminum may seem like a daunting task at first, but with proper techniques and guidance, it can be an easy and rewarding process. While not perfect for all projects, it can be a great way to construct strong and durable metal structures in a cost effective manner. From setting up the equipment to understanding joint types and filler metals to determining th ealuminum’s grade, the research behind learning how to weld aluminum is quite extensive. Although a majority of construction sites use steel as their primary material nowadays, advancements in technology have made welding aluminum increasingly popular over the past few decades. This guide should help you get started on your journey towards mastering how to weld aluminum! With patience and practice anyone can become skilled in this remarkable craft.
