Welding Techniques for Aluminium

07 April 2020

Welding techniques are all extremely complicated processes regardless of the material you choose to join. One of the most common materials for this is aluminium. Before actually deciding on starting this, you must first understand some of the difficulties that are inherent to welding aluminium, as well as the types of welding that can be used. Below are welding techniques for aluminium.

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding

One of the most popular welding processes for aluminium is gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), otherwise known as tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. GTAW is a great process for aluminium because it does not require mechanical wire feeding, which can create feeding issues. Instead, the filler material is fed into the puddle by the welder with his hand. Also, the GTAW process is extremely clean, which prevents aluminium from being contaminated by the atmosphere.

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), or metal inert gas (MIG) welding is another great choice for welding aluminium. Gas metal arc welding generally has higher deposition rates and faster travel speeds than GTAW. However, GMAW uses a mechanical wire feeding system. Because of this, a push-pull gun or spool gun may be needed so that aluminium wire feeding is possible. Also, it is important to not use 100 percent Carbon Dioxide or  75 percent Argon or 25 percent Carbon Dioxide shielding gas. Such gas is a viable choice for steel, but aluminium cannot handle the reactive Carbon Dioxide gas. Follow the filler metal manufacturer recommendations for shielding gas type.

Laser Beam Welding and Electron Beam Welding

Beam welding processes are often quite capable of welding aluminium. Also, since the power density of beam welding processes are so high, cold starts are less of a concern. With laser welding, material light reflectivity can be a concern. Also, shielding gas optimisation is key to avoid porosity. Electron beam welding generally does not have these problems because it does not use light as an energy medium and it is performed in a vacuum.

Resistance Welding

Resistance welding is a possibility when welding aluminium. However, difficulties arise from the electrical and thermal conductivity of aluminium. Parameter development time may be significant and special tips and resistance welding equipment may be required to overcome these challenges.

Techniques Not Suitable for Welding Aluminium

There are several processes that are not well suited for welding aluminium. Any welding process that uses a flux, such as stick welding, flux cored arc welding, and submerged arc welding, are generally not effective methods for welding aluminium. Oftentimes, the welds created by these processes result in large amounts of porosity.

Know more about the welding techniques for aluminium from Sureweld Engineering. If you are looking for certified coded welder and supervisors for your stainless steel needs, we got you covered. We offer a 24/7 break down in mechanical and maintenance support. We also promise to service your business any time of the day or night. We are located in Hastings, Victoria and we can guarantee that you obtain prompt and highly efficient professional onsite repair services for your trucks or heavy machinery, thus reducing the possibility of weld defects.