Aluminium to Aluminium Welding

Aluminium to Aluminium Welding

Types of Welding Used for Aluminium Alloys

Following consumables are suitable for Aluminium to Aluminium Welding. Here find the complete information from selection of consumables, welding methods to Challenges you may face.

  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
  • Gas Metal Arc Welding
  • Arc Welding
  • Resistance Welding
  • Electron Beam Welding
  • Laser Beam Welding
  • Friction Welding

Table of Contents

What are the TIG Welding Parameters for Aluminum?

Material Thickness (in) Position Passes Required Travel Speed (ipm) AC (amp) Cup Diameter (in) Cup Size Gas Flow (cfh) Gas Volume per 100 ft of weld (cft) Tungsten Diameter (in) Filler Rod Diameter (in) Pounds Deposited per 100 ft (lb)
1/4 H & V 1 8 235 3/4 12 30 75 3/16 3/16 7
1/4 Ovhd 1 8 240 3/4 12 35 87 3/16 3/16 7
1/4 Flat 1 8 260 3/4 12 30 75 3/16 3/16 7
1/8 H & V 1 8 120 3/8 6 20 50 3/32 1/8 2
1/8 Ovhd 1 8 135 3/8 6 25 62 3/32 1/8 2
1/8 Flat 1 10 150 1/2 8 20 40 1/8 1/8 2
1/16 H & V 1 8 80 3/8 6 20 50 1/16 3/32 1/2
1/16 Ovhd 1 8 70 3/8 6 25 62 1/16 3/32 1/2
1/16 Flat 1 8 80 1/2 8 20 50 1/16 3/32 1/2
3/16 H & V 1 8 180 1/2 8 25 62 1/8 5/32 4.5
3/16 Ovhd 1 8 190 1/2 8 30 75 5/32 5/32 4.5
3/16 Flat 1 8 215 3/4 12 25 62 5/32 5/32 4.5

Wrought Aluminium Alloy Series

Series  Alloying Element  Heat treatable  Tensile Strength (Mpa)*1 
1xxx  99% minimum aluminium (pure) X 70 – 185
2xxx  Copper yes 185 – 430
3xxx Manganese X 110 – 280
4xxx  Silicon X/yes 170 – 380
5xxx  Magnesium X 125 – 350
6xxx Magnesium and Silicon yes 125 – 400
7xxx Zinc yes 220 – 750 

Temper Designations for Aluminium Alloy

Temper Designation  Meaning
F As fabricated
O Annealed
H Strain hardened
W Solution heat-treated
T Thermally treated

Things To Avoid When Welding Aluminum

  • Taking a “one-size-fits-all” approach
  • Not wearing the proper PPE
  • Failing to prepare
  • Ignoring minor details
  • Not being patient

Which Aluminum Alloys are Best for Welding?

Alloy Designation UNS Advantages
3003 UNS A93003 Excellent formability and weldability
5052 – Excellent corrosion resistance
5083 – High weld efficiency
5454 UNS A95454 Moderate-to-high strength
6061 – Good all-around alloy
6063 – Medium strength

Aluminum TIG Welding Rods

TIG Rods Size Weight
4043 3/32 in 10 lb
5356 3/32 in 10 lb
4043 1/8 in 1 lb
4043 3/32 in 1 lb
4043 1/16 in 1 lb
4043 1/8 in 10 lb
5356 1/16 in 10 lb
5356 1/8 in 10 lb

Aluminum Alloy Grades and Their Weldability

Alloys Tempers Services Finishing Services
  • 1050, 1070, 1350,
  • 2014,
  • 3003, 3103,
  • 5052, 5054, 5083, 5086,
  • 6060, 6061, 6063, 6005, 6026, 6066, 6082, 6101, 6106, 6261, 6262, 6351
  • M,
  • O,
  • T4, T5, T52, T6, T66, T6511
  • Post-Machining,
  • Cutting,
  • Stamping,
  • Drilling,
  • Welding,
  • Bending,
  • Assemblies, etc.
  • Sandblasting,
  • Anodizing,
  • Powder Coating,
  • Sublimation (Wood Look),
  •  PVDF Coating

Benefits of Using Aluminum

  • Lightweight
  • Electricity & heat
  • Recyclable
  • Appearance
  • Non-corrosive

MIG vs TIG Welding Aluminum

MIG vs TIG Welding Process

MIG vs TIG Pros and Cons

Weldings Pros Cons
TIG Welding TIG welds are higher in quality Clean metal surface before welding
Filler material is optional Slow welding process
Foot pedal offers greater precision Requires skill and experience
TIG offers versatility More expensive
MIG Welding Faster weld time Not strong
Welding equipment is cheaper Harder to control the weld bead
Easier to create a strong weld Inability to weld thin metals
Weld at difficult angles Requires protection from fumes

TIG and MIG Welding Applications

  • Automation
  • Experienced Welders
  • Aerospace Industry
  • Bicycle
  • Rebuilding Equipment
  • Welding Pipes

Advantages and Limitations of TIG Welding

Advantages and Limitations of TIG Welding

Tips to Weld Aluminium with a Tig Welder
  • Aluminum Material Pretreatment
  • Preheating Aluminum
  • Welding Gun and Electrode
  • Optimizing Welding Parameters
  • Setting Proper Balance Control

Aluminum TIG Welding Parameters

Plate Thickness /mm Tungsten Electrode Diameter /mm Number of Welding Passes Wire Diameter/mm Wire Feed Speed/cm·min－1 Welding Current/A Nozzle Aperture/mm Argon Flow rate/L·min－1
1 1.5～2 1 1.6 — 120～160 8～10 5～6
2 3 1 1.6～2 108～117 180～220 8～10 12～14
3 4 1～2 2 108～117 220～240 10～14 14～18
4 5 1～2 2～3 117～125 240～280 10～14 14～18
5 5 2 2～3 117～125 280～320 12～16 16～20
6～8 5～6 2～3 3 125～133 280～320 14～18 18～24
8～12 6 2～3 3～4 133～142 300～340 14～18 18～24

Types of Aluminium Corrosion

  • Atmospheric corrosion
  • Galvanic corrosion
  • Pitting corrosion
  • Crevice corrosion
  • Intergranular corrosion
  • Exfoliation corrosion

Can we Weld Aluminium and its Alloys?

Aluminum welding is possible due to the seven different series of aluminum.

 Series Elements Behaviours
1000 Aluminium Excellent Thermal and Electrical Conductivity
2000 Aluminium + Copper Harder Material
3000 Aluminium + Manganese Very Resistant to Corrosion
4000 Aluminium + Silicon Forging
5000 Aluminium + Magnesium Excellent Weldability
6000 Aluminium + Magnesium +Silicon Used for the Construction
7000 Aluminium + Magnesium + Zinc Easily Machinable
Can Cast Aluminum be Welded? Check the Following Facts

Yes, Cast Aluminum can be welded. View Below Facts:

  • Most Abundant Metal
  • Infinitely recyclable
  • Dictates the use of hotter amperage
  • Voltage setting compared to steel
  • Essential to modern aviation

Welding Process of Copper and Aluminum Tubes

Welding Process of Copper and Aluminum Tubes

Aluminium to Aluminium Welding Best Practices

  • Safety and preparation
  • Understanding the finer details
  • Bead profile
  • Remove the oxide layer
  • Proper storage
  • Don’t weave
  • Clean the aluminium sheets

How to Weld Aluminum Without a Welder?

Weld Aluminum Without a Welder

Special Characteristics of Aluminum

  • Excellent Corrosion Resistance
  • Electrical and Thermal conductivity
  • Robust
  • Non-magnetic

What is the Best Method to use for Welding Aluminium?

  • Desired weld performance
  • Cost
  • Supplier availability
  • Geometric constraints
  • Distortion tolerance
  • Health and Safety
  • Speed of production
  • Repeatability

Electrodes For Aluminium Alloys

– EAL 1100 EAL 4043 EAL 4047
AWS/ASME SFA – 5.3 E1100 E4043 E4047
EN ISO 18273 E Al 1080 A(Al 99.8) E Al 4043 (AlSi 5) E Al 4047 (AlSi 12)
TS EN ISO 18273 E Al 1080 A(Al 99.8) E Al 4043 (AlSi 5) E Al 4047 (AlSi 12)
TS 9604 EL-Al99.5 EL-AlSi5 EL-AlSi12
DIN M. No. 3.0286 3.2245 3.2585

Remember 7 Things During Aluminium to Aluminium Welding

  • Blowtorch the Aluminum Pipe
  • Weld Constantly
  • Use the Right Gas
  • The Right Tool
  • Keep Close Watch on the Electrode
  • Be Clean with the Join
  • Polishing the Aluminum

4 Types of Aluminum Welding Defects

  • Porosity
  • Solidification Cracking
  • Liquidation Cracking
  • Weld Bead Profile Imperfections

Avoid 3 Welding Process to Weld Aluminium

Avoid 3 Welding Process to Weld Aluminium

Choosing the Right Filler Metal for Welding Aluminium

Grade Filler Metal
Selection of filler metal for 2xxx and 4xxx series
  • 4145 filler alloy
  • 4047 filler alloy
filler metal for 6xxx series aluminium
  • 4xxx series (Al/Si)
  • 5xxx series (Al/Mg) filler alloys
filler metal for 2024 aluminium to aluminium welding
  • Alloy 2219
Welding of 7075 and 7005 aluminium
  • 5356 Filler Metal
6061-T6 aluminium to aluminium welding
  • Filler alloy 4643
 7xxx series
  • Filler alloy 5180

Top 6 Challenges in Aluminium to Aluminium Welding

  • Oxidation
  • Porousness
  • Impurities
  • Thickness
  • Hot Cracking
  • Thermal Conductivity