Tips for Welding Aluminum

 　　Aluminum is often considered difficult to weld, however, this is not entirely correct. Welding aluminum is similar to welding steel. This may require some practice, so here are some tips for welding aluminum.

　　Safe welding of aluminum

　　Before starting welding, please ensure that the area is well ventilated. You do not want to inhale any harmful smoke. Always ensure that you have appropriate protective equipment. This should include:

　　Welding mask for eye protection

　　Gloves and leather can protect you from splashing molten metal

　　Leather shoes or boots to protect your feet from dripping iron

　　Respirators for long-term welding

　　Welding type

　　There are three main types of aluminum welding:

　　Arc welding

　　Gas shielded metal arc (MIG) welding

　　Tungsten argon arc welding (TIG) welding

　　Arc welding

　　Arc welding is one of the oldest welding methods. It uses a welding power source to generate an arc to melt the metal.

　　advantage:

　　Relatively cheap

　　Not requiring too many devices

　　Suitable for AC or DC

　　Disadvantages:

　　Requires extensive training and practice to master

　　Not suitable for thin metals

　　Arc welding skills:

　　Prepare your device. Although both AC and DC can work, it is best to use DC power.

　　Prepare the parts to be welded. The aluminum parts to be welded should be clean and dry, and any oxidation should be removed. Heat the aluminum sheets to soften them and make them easier to weld. Use a fixture to place the parts as close to a flat surface as possible.

　　Introduce the filling rod. Place the rod at the seam of the aluminum sheet and work on the flame a few inches above the rod. Moving forward will be much faster than steel, and you must feed the rod faster. The rod will melt into a metal pool that should cover the joints on both sides.

　　Calm down. Allow the welded metal to cool and remove unnecessary slag by cutting it off. This will allow time for aluminum to cool between welds and prevent excessive heat accumulation in the aluminum. As aluminum heats up, it is necessary to reduce the amperage.

　　Gas shielded metal arc (MIG) welding

　　MIG welding was developed in the 1940s. It uses short circuits and inert gases to melt metals.

　　advantage:

　　Very fast

　　Low skill level required

　　Disadvantages:

　　Can only be used on thin to medium thick metals

　　Weld is not as clean as TIG welding

　　High levels of sparks, fumes and smoke

　　Tips for MIG welding:

　　Prepare your equipment. Use a push-pull wire feed to avoid tangles or jamming.

　　Prepare your metal. Clean the aluminum, remove any oxide and file any edges to be joined. Again, it is easier to weld thicker pieces.

　　Push, don’t pull. Pulling or using a drag angle will result in dirty welds. For Aluminum, it’s better to push at a 10 to 15 degree angle

　　Practice putting beads. Using multiple straight welds will give the weld a better appearance and reduce the risk of weld defects.

　　Use a heat sink. Using a radiator (such as brass) will absorb excess heat and allow you to perform slower welding using techniques similar to steel.

　　Tungsten gas shielded welding (TIG)

　　TIG welding uses electrodes wrapped in inert gas.

　　advantage:

　　It's very clean. Low levels of sparks, smoke, and smoke.

　　Very precise and of high quality.

　　Disadvantages:

　　More expensive and time-consuming than MIG

　　High skill level is required.

　　Reminder for argon arc welding:

　　Select your electrode. For aluminum, the best choice is a pure tungsten rod.

　　Prepare your metal. Use a wire brush to clean the aluminum surface. Preheating aluminum is also a good idea.

　　Control gas. Excessive argon flow at the cutting torch can lead to irregular arcs.

　　Radiator. Using a radiator to prevent aluminum warping is also a good idea.

　　Welding technology. Keep the filling rod as close to the gas cloud as possible. This can be tricky, so it's best to practice as much as possible beforehand.