What Is The Cheapest Way to Weld Aluminium? MIG welding is the cheaper option to weld aluminium, though the quality and strength of the join is not as good. TIG welding is slower and therefore costs more, but the results are superior for joining aluminium.
Using a propane torch and some aluminum brazing rods is a quick way to bonding aluminum without using a welder. It makes for a very strong bond and with a little practice can be done quickly with great looking results.
Using an instant adhesive or super glue is arguably the simplest and most hassle-free alternative to welding. As previously discussed in our Guide to Gluing Metal, we recommend an epoxy glue for a stronger bond.
Electron beam welding has a very precise heat affected zone that can be easily controlled, which makes it great for aluminum. Laser beam welding is great for fast, clean welds and is ideal for materials sensitive to cracking, such as aluminum.
One of the most popular welding processes for aluminum is gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), otherwise known as tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. GTAW is a great process for aluminum because it does not require mechanical wire feeding, which can create feedability issues.
Steel And Aluminum Should Not Be Welded To Each Other Directly. It is never a good idea to try to weld aluminum and steel together directly. Steel and aluminum alloys have very distinct metallurgical and physical properties, and cannot be joined directly. Firstly, steel has a much higher melting point than aluminum.
But TIG welding aluminum without a filler is extremely prone to cracking. Cracked welds fail tests. Worse, cracked welds that don't get tested cause projects to fail structurally.
Aluminium alloys pose a range of difficulties when welding, including: High thermal conductivity. This results in excessive dissipation of heat, which can make welding difficult and/or result in unwanted distortion of the parts, owing to a larger heat input being required.
As a beginner, a wider, deeper aluminum weld is much more likely to burn through, so stick with Argon until you're comfortable with it. Helium is best added to the mix for more extensive, thicker pieces of aluminum where weld depth and penetration are required.
Aluminum brazing is a popular method of joining two pieces of metal together, and for a good reason. It offers a strong connection between two pieces without needing to use a welding machine. In fact, aluminum brazing can create a joint that is even stronger than welding!
Choose the right gas: Because aluminum is a non-ferrous metal, it requires a 100 percent argon shielding gas.
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)/ TIG
This is the most common method of welding aluminium. It is also known as Tungsten Inert Gas welding. This method doesn't require mechanical wire feeding, which saves you the problems that come with feedability issues.
Material thickness: Most reputable MIG machines can be used to weld aluminium down to 3mm thickness. To successfully weld materials thinner than 3mm, it may be neccessary to use specialist MIG or TIG welders with pulse capability. (Note: to TIG weld aluminium, you will need an "AC/DC" machine such as the 202T).
Stick welding is very versatile, inexpensive to start, and easy to learn. It can be used on a variety of metal alloys. Consumable electrodes have to be frequently replaced and slag must be chipped away after welding, making it a slower process.
The thickness of aluminum in industrial welding applications typically ranges from 1/8 inch to 16 gauge, but you may be welding up to 3/8 or 1/2 inch in some cases. Gas and filler metal selection, as well as proper technique, may differ depending on the material thickness and the goals of the application.
Plasma Arc Welding
This is extremely similar to TIG welding (GTAW). The difference is that the electrode is within the body of the torch. That means that the shielding gas is away from the electrode and plasma can be created. Plasma is basically just energized gas.
Generally, two processes are used for aluminum welding: GTAW (TIG) and GMAW (MIG). Most welders in the business will say TIG is the better option for welding aluminum because it allows for better results on lighter gauge materials. When done correctly, TIG welding aluminum can produce quality welds.
Article Revised July 28th, 2022. It's often said that aluminum is a more difficult metal to weld than steel. While it's true that most welders start out by learning to weld steel before moving on to aluminum, it's not entirely accurate to say that one is more difficult than the other.
To achieve the best weld quality when MIG welding aluminum, you should use the push welding technique. Pushing the MIG welding gun away from the puddle instead of pulling it results in a better cleaning action, improved shielding gas coverage, and reduced weld bead contamination.
After welding, aluminum will become weaker than the base material. If you're used to working with metals such as steel, you might assume that a finished aluminum weld will be just as strong. Unfortunately, non-heat treatable aluminum is usually hardened via a process known as cold working.
Stress cracking can occur when an aluminum weld cools and excessive shrinkage stresses are present during solidification. This could be due to a concave bead profile, a too slow travel speed, a highly restrained joint, or depression in the end of the weld (crater crack).
The author notes that four of the most difficult metals to weld are aluminum, cast iron, brass, and stainless steel.
The aluminium alloys (5xxx) series can generally be regarded as a two re-weld operation but the (6xxx) series is far more sensitive to heat input and even a single re-weld operation is undesirable.
Cyanoacrylate – also known as instant adhesives, super glue, crazy glue, ca glue, etc. All grades will bond aluminum well. For very high strength use a metal bonder such as 170 or the original 910®. For bonding aluminum to dissimilar surfaces with different coefficients of thermal expansion consider toughened 737.
Perhaps the most important thing to realize is that welded aluminum is generally weaker than the parent material. This is not true with other metals such as steel, which have welds just as strong as the original metal.