The act of welding aluminium can be arduous and complicated, depending on which process is utilised. Aluminium is a key material in just about every industry on the planet, so it should surprise nobody that it is important to have professional welders available in order to do the job right. While welding aluminium may seem simple, the variety of different welding options available can create a headache for people that are new to the industry. Today, we are going to be highlighting a few of the most popular welding options for aluminium.
Optimal Welding Options for Aluminium
Welding aluminium isn’t the same as welding any other metal. Why is this the case? Some aluminium will require you to utilise a filler material during the welding process. Welders will also have to deal with the fact that aluminium has a higher thermal conductivity level than steel. Aluminium welders also have to go through a pre-weld and post-weld process in order to maintain the integrity of their weld. Having said all of that, let’s talk about a few of your most common aluminium welding options.
1) GTAW/TIG – Gas tungsten arc welding, shortened to GTAW, is the most common process for aluminium welding. There is no mechanical wire to feed because welders will instead rely on filler material. This is a clean welding process that reduces contamination.
2) GMAW/MIG – Gas metal arc welding, or metal inert gas welding, is another optimum welding process for aluminium. GMAW relies on the mechanical wire feeding system that we have briefly touched on. This is a more convoluted welding process and as such it requires a talented hand at the steering wheel, so to speak. Aluminium MIG welders will also need to have knowledge of the shielding gas that they are using.
3) Electron Beam Welding – Beam welding, also known as laser welding, is the most complicated process on our list. Laser beam welding is an effective way to deal with aluminium due to the fact that the performance is done in a vacuum where cold starts are not a concern.
Aluminium is a flexible material that is being used in just about every way imaginable. While there are a variety of ways to attend to aluminium welding, you have to be sure to get the process done by a professional. Welding is a useful skill to learn, but if you don’t have time to learn, turn to our team here at K & K Steel. Here at K & K Steel, we have been providing premium customer service since 1981. With almost 40 years of industry experience on our side, there is nothing we can’t handle.