How to weld aluminum at home

Instructions on how and what to cook aluminum: methods and technologies for beginners

Any metal can be welded using a welding machine, the main thing is to know how and with what to do it, as well as what additives to use for this. In this article we will look at how to properly cook aluminum even at home.

Problems

Aluminum is used almost everywhere, as its properties of heat and electrical conductivity show excellent values. Moreover, this material has a relatively low specific gravity.

The whole problem lies in the same properties, since too much overheating leads to a burn-through. But the current required is at least three times greater than when welding steel elements. The goal is to prevent overheating.

It is important to know how to weld aluminum with argon, because the preparatory work in this case is the most important. The thing is that when heated, a liquid bath is released, which prevents proper welding of the metal. In this case, argon is used, which prevents air mass from entering the welding processes.

Also, during work, other factors may arise that cannot be corrected by anything, but are only reduced due to the correctly selected mode.

How to cook aluminum at home

For household welding, it is better to use argon, since other approaches are prohibited due to the appearance of splashes and drops. To prevent the oxidation process, it is necessary to use tungsten electrodes, which protect the molten pool with the gas released.

You can also use one more method, for this it is important to know how to weld aluminum semi-automatically. This process involves feeding the welding wire through a specialized gun. The whole point is also the release of a special gas, which prevents the bath from contacting air and oxygen. In this case, it is necessary to use wire made of the same material that is welded together.

Surface preparation

We described above that there are several problems when welding aluminum. The first difficulty is solved by completely degreasing the material. To do this, you can place the metal in an alkaline environment for some time, that is, a bath, or use acetone or white spirit. It is advisable to keep the metal in such substances for no longer than five minutes, ideally three.

After this, it is necessary to process the edges where the welding seam will pass. To do this, you can use a metal brush either manually or attached to a drill or machine.

It is important not to press on the material during processing, as the oxidized film may get into the scratches from the brush. After processing, it is necessary to place the metal for a few more minutes in a degreasing solution.

The second difficulty, which involves the appearance of cracks, can also be excluded. To do this, you need to heat the metal under an open fire, where the temperature is about 100-150 degrees.

If metal of different thicknesses is used, then it is necessary to heat the thicker part first, since the opposite can lead to rapid cooling of the thinner part. Moreover, aluminum may contain droplets of moisture, which will cause a lot of splashes during welding, so heating will get rid of them too.

Main job

Electrode welding is allowed only for parts whose thickness is more than 0.4 cm, since thinner metal will certainly get burned through. The two basic rules for this type of work are to reverse the polarity and move the electrode as quickly as possible to avoid burn-through.

If for normal welding the grounding is compared with a minus, and the holder with a plus, then when welding aluminum it is necessary to change the order. As soon as the work is completed and the seam has dried, you need to beat off the slag, rinse the seam with warm water and go over the joint with a wire brush, and then you can also go over it with a grinder attachment.

This principle will reduce the presence of slag in the connection to a minimum. Watch a video or detailed photos on how to cook aluminum. This will help you visually understand the work ahead to get maximum quality and reliability.

Photo tips on how and what to cook aluminum

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Source: https://instrumentgid.ru/instrukciya-kak-i-chem-varit-alyuminij/

How to weld aluminum at home - Metals, equipment, instructions

• Date: 06/21/2015
• 373
• : 47

Aluminum and its alloys are widely used in many fields.

This is explained by the fact that they have low weight, high mechanical properties, and they also have high thermal and electrical conductivity.

But one of the disadvantages of this material is that it does not weld well, and therefore the question of how to weld aluminum is very relevant, especially for home craftsmen.

The main disadvantage of aluminum is that it is difficult to weld, so you need to know the methods and modes of welding aluminum.

Weldability of aluminum

The fact that aluminum and its alloys are poorly weldable is due to their following properties:

Aluminum welding modes.

1. There is always an oxide film on aluminum workpieces and parts; its feature is a very high melting point, more than 2000 degrees, which significantly complicates the work, since the melting point of aluminum is only 660 degrees.
2. During work, a refractory film also forms on the molten drops, and therefore it is difficult to make a continuous seam. One solution to this problem is to carry out welding under the protection of inert gas, this allows the metal to be isolated from the air.
3. Aluminum is very fluid, which makes it difficult to control the weld pool. To simplify the process, it is necessary to use heat-sinking pads.
4. Since pores and cracks can form in the seam, it is not very durable. Due to the fact that hydrogen comes out of the weld, pores are formed, and cracks are more likely to occur when welding aluminum alloys that contain a lot of silicon.
5. This material has a high coefficient of expansion, so it can become deformed when the seam cools.
6. Aluminum has high thermal conductivity. This leads to the fact that the welding current must be 1.5 times higher than when working with steel parts, although their melting point is several times higher than that of aluminum.
7. When carrying out work at home, a problem often arises due to the fact that a person does not know the exact name and composition of the alloy. This does not always allow you to select the correct welding mode and materials needed for the job.

Welding methods and preparation for work

There are many ways to weld aluminum, using different materials and equipment.

The work area can be protected with flux or argon.

Basic welding methods:

Scheme of welding aluminum with an electrode.

• performing work in an environment of inert gases using a tungsten electrode, this mode is called AC TIG;
• semi-automatic operation in an inert gas environment, when automatic wire feeding is performed, this mode is called DC MIG;
• work with consumable electrodes, the mode is called MMA, in which inert gases are not used.

To destroy the oxide film that forms on the surface of parts, direct or alternating current is used; it must be of reverse polarity. Thus, cathode sputtering occurs, which causes the destruction of the film. If you decide to carry out work with direct current of straight polarity, this will not allow you to destroy the oxide film.

Regardless of what type of welding of parts is chosen, it is necessary to pre-treat their edges.

The sequence of carrying out the specified work:

Consumable electrodes are used for welding aluminum.

• cleaning from dust and degreasing, for this use acetone, white spirit or any other solvent;
• if the thickness of the parts is up to 4 mm, then cutting of the edges is not carried out, if more, then it must be done;
• if the work is performed with coated electrodes, then cutting the edges must be carried out with a part thickness of more than 20 mm;
• if parts whose thickness is less than 1.5 mm are welded, it is recommended to flang them;
• To partially remove the oxide film, the edges of the parts are cleaned with sandpaper; a metal brush can also be used for this, but the wire on it must be thin.

This type of welding is usually used when welding parts whose thickness is no more than 4 mm, and the design itself is not very critical. This is explained by the fact that this welding method has a number of disadvantages: the seam turns out to be porous and therefore not very strong, the metal splashes a lot, the slag is poorly separated, which subsequently leads to corrosion of the metal.

Semi-automatic welding with wire feed.

In this way, both aluminum and its alloys can be welded. Previously, OZHA-1 and OZA-2 electrodes were used for welding; now there are more modern UANA and OZANA electrodes.

The work is carried out on direct current of reverse polarity. For every millimeter of electrode diameter, 25-30 A of welding current is required.

To get a better quality seam, before starting work, the parts must be heated to 250-300 degrees, and if they are massive, then up to 400 degrees. If the part is large, then heating should be carried out only at the place where it is welded.

This procedure allows you to obtain a more durable seam at moderate currents, reducing the likelihood of cracks and warping of the seam.

A feature of the electrodes that are used to work with aluminum is that they melt 2 times faster than the electrodes that are used to weld steel.

This leads to the fact that work needs to be done 2 times faster. If the arc breaks, the crater becomes covered with a crust and it prevents the arc from re-igniting.

There is no need to make transverse movements with the electrode, and continuous welding without stopping must be carried out with one electrode.

Slag removal is carried out immediately, for which the seam is washed with water and treated with a metal brush. This must be done carefully, since slag residues can lead to metal corrosion.

Welding with a tungsten electrode using inert gases

Table of tungsten electrode welding modes.

This method is suitable for connecting aluminum parts, the strength of which is high, and therefore is more popular and in demand. Let's look at how to weld aluminum using this method.

To perform the work, tungsten electrodes with a diameter of 1.6-5 mm are used, and filler rods with a diameter of 1.6-4 mm are also used. Argon and helium are used as inert gases. In each specific case, the diameter of the electrode, filler rod, welding current, and gas supply speed are selected individually. To make selection easier, there are ready-made tables.

The arc length should be within 1.5-2.5 mm, the electrode should be tilted to the surface at an angle of 70-80 degrees, the angle between the wire and the electrode should be almost straight.

In order to better protect the seam, the burner should be behind the filler rod. Feeding of the filler rod should be carried out with small reciprocating movements; movements of the electrode across the seam during operation cannot be carried out.

To conduct heat removal, the aluminum part must be placed on a copper or steel pad, this is especially true when connecting thin parts. Gas should start flowing 3-5 seconds before the arc ignites and stop flowing 5-7 seconds after the arc is broken.

Use of a semi-automatic machine

Scheme of welding with a three-phase arc with a tungsten electrode.

The most optimal way to weld aluminum parts is to use pulsed machines; with the help of a high voltage pulse, the oxide film is destroyed. Such devices provide maximum seam strength, but they are quite expensive. This welding is performed 3 times faster than the previous type of welding, but the quality of the seam is slightly worse.

Welding aluminum parts with a semi-automatic machine is almost the same as welding steel parts, but there are some features:

• It is necessary to use only current of reverse polarity;
• since aluminum wire is soft, loops may form; to avoid this, you need to use a short sleeve, a feed mechanism with 4 rollers, and a Teflon liner is used to reduce resistance;
• To prevent the wire from getting stuck in the current collector due to its expansion, the current collector must have a slightly larger diameter;
• Aluminum wire melts faster, so you need to set a faster feed.

Before buying wire, you need to determine the characteristics of the materials that will be welded, since the wire must match the material.

How does the shape of the seam depend on the welding mode?

Weld parameters and penetration depth will depend on the following factors:

Diagram of the influence of the welding mode on the shape of the seam.

• the higher the welding current, the greater the depth of penetration; the width of the seam practically does not depend on this indicator;
• the higher the current, the less influence the electrode diameter has;
• the width of the seam depends on the diameter of the electrode;
• the depth of penetration will be only at the optimal speed of movement of the electrode; if it is low, then the penetration depth will be insignificant; when a certain speed parameter is reached, the penetration depth will begin to decrease;
• The width of the seam depends on the welding speed; they are reciprocal quantities.

There are many nuances and peculiarities when welding aluminum, but if you follow the recommendations and technology for carrying out the work, then even an amateur can cope with this task.

Source: https://spb-metalloobrabotka.com/kak-zavarit-alyuminiy-v-domashnih-usloviyah/

How to weld aluminum parts at home

Aluminum has many positive properties, thanks to which neither aircraft manufacturing, nor the manufacture of electrical equipment, nor construction can do without it.

At home, it is also often necessary to carry out operations with aluminum: for example, to make an aluminum water tank, connect aluminum parts to each other, repair the metal body of any equipment, weld a pipe, etc. This metal is quite light, flammable, and has a high degree of electrical and thermal conductivity.

However, welding aluminum at home is a difficult task that requires preparation. From this article you will learn how to weld aluminum to aluminum at home and end up with a strong, high-quality connection.

Aluminum welding at work and at home

In industry, aluminum is welded using argon. A powerful jet of shielding gas prevents the metal from oxidizing during welding and protects the seam from the formation of pores. Cooking aluminum at home is problematic: not every novice welder has experience in argon welding. You may encounter the following problems:

1. Burn through material. When planning to weld aluminum with an inverter, remember that the metal is covered with a refractory oxide film. To destroy it, you will need to increase the temperature to 1400 -1450 degrees Celsius. It will be quite difficult not to burn through the aluminum part itself, because its melting point is much lower - 660 degrees Celsius.
2. Weld defects: pores, crystallization cracks. Their occurrence is due to the presence of elements such as silicon and hydrogen in aluminum. If the technology is incorrectly selected, a defective seam can be visually distinguished from a high-quality one as soon as the metal hardens.
3. Spreading of metal from the weld pool. Since the material is very fluid, you need to weld aluminum with an inverter using heat-dissipating pads.
4. The appearance of a characteristic crater on the seam, which forms in aluminum upon completion of the work. Its elimination requires special skills.
5. Deformation of welded surfaces during solidification. This occurs due to shrinkage of the material. The least likelihood of modification of parts is guaranteed if you weld aluminum with a laser.

Preparing aluminum for welding

Before welding aluminum, the part is thoroughly cleaned with a wire brush to remove dirt, traces of varnish and old paint. Then the surfaces are degreased with a solvent. To ensure the integrity of the metal, it is treated with a penetrating solution.

The oxide film from the surface is etched off with a 5% alkali solution heated to 60-70 degrees Celsius. As a rule, a couple of minutes is enough, after which the parts are washed with hot and cold water.

Then they should be placed for 6-7 minutes in a 20% nitric acid solution, also heated to 60-70 degrees. Washing occurs first with cold, then with hot water, after which the part is dried. Surfaces should be welded no later than 2-3 hours after cleaning.

If you plan to weld with a conventional consumable electrode on aluminum, then the electrode must be processed according to the scheme described above.

The cutting of edges depends on what materials will be used for welding. When using coated electrodes, the ends are flanged if they are not thicker than 1.5 mm, and cut if they are thicker than 20 mm. If other electrodes are used, then cutting the edges is necessary when the thickness of the parts is more than 4 mm.

With the suture method, the metal surfaces must be tightly fitted to one another. In addition, their thickness should not exceed 4 mm. The point method assumes that the thickness of the parts will be in the range of 0.04 - 6 mm with a maximum gap of 0.3 mm.

With proper preparation and a well-chosen mode, aluminum can be welded with any equipment: a welding inverter, a transformer, and a semi-automatic machine. Having decided how to weld aluminum, decide how exactly the process will proceed: with or without the use of shielding gas.

Argon welding of aluminum

Welding aluminum at home using argon can be carried out:

• Non-consumable electrodes.

Carrying out work with a non-consumable electrode on aluminum is most advisable if you need to get ceiling and vertical seams or weld a crack. However, welding can be done in all spatial positions. Since argon has more mass than air, when forming all seams except horizontal ones, this gas can be mixed with helium.

To calculate the optimal current strength, you need to multiply the number of millimeters of electrode diameter by 30-45. Approximately this number of amperes will be needed to form a strong connection. If parts have a thickness of up to 6 mm, then electrodes with a thickness of up to 4 mm are suitable. If the thickness of the workpiece exceeds 6 mm, then you need electrodes with a diameter of 6 mm. When calculating the amount of argon, keep in mind that in 1 minute of continuous operation, from 6 to 16 liters of gas will be consumed.

When working with a tungsten electrode, it should be guided behind the filler wire. By choosing the maximum speed, you can avoid seam defects.

• Filler wire. Semi-automatic electric welding is necessary if the thickness of the part is 3 mm or more. To weld with an inverter in a protective gas environment, select wire with a thickness of 1.2 - 1.6 mm. The closer its melting temperature is to the melting temperature of the part, the easier the welding will be.

When working with such a device, the wire is fed automatically, but the torch must be moved manually in the direction from right to left. The burner must be equipped with a Teflon guide and have a length of no more than 3 m. The distance from the nozzle to the aluminum surface is approximately 10-15 mm, the deviation of the burner from the vertical is 10-20 degrees. This is enough for good penetration, and gas consumption is quite economical.

How to weld aluminum semi-automatically can be found here.

Welding without argon

Many owners are interested in how to weld aluminum without argon. This requires special consumables - for example, Nobitec 412 electrodes or TBW Harasil NC12 rod. Prepare a large number of electrodes in advance, as they are consumed 3 times faster than what happens when welding steel products.

It is advisable to preheat the aluminum to a temperature of 150-200 degrees Celsius. Welding should be done with a short arc at a current of 70-100 A. The electrode should be positioned at an angle of 90 degrees. After finishing the work, the scale is beaten off with a hammer, and the weld seam is cleaned with a brush.

This method is suitable for those who do not know how to weld with argon or do not have equipment for gas welding. In this case, the strength of the connection will be no worse than with argon welding. Despite the fact that specialized electrodes are quite expensive, the final cost of the connection is less than when welding with argon.

Useful tips

• Welding must be done with direct current with reverse polarity. Is it possible to weld aluminum with alternating current? It is possible, provided that the oscillator and ballast rheostat are used.
• Aluminum cooks best at a temperature of 18 – 22 degrees Celsius and humidity within 70%
• Surfaces must not be cleaned with sandpaper or abrasives.
• Aluminum alloys should be strengthened by cold hardening before electric welding. In industrial conditions, the aluminum coating can be up to 40% of its volume; in domestic conditions, a much thinner layer should be formed.
• To avoid hot cracks, the surfaces must be heated before welding.
• To learn how to weld without craters, first practice on unnecessary pieces of metal. Without turning off the arc, it is necessary to weld in the opposite direction. When welding the crater, form a kind of dome over it, and during cooling, a crack will not form in this place.
• The ejection speed of aluminum wire when using a semi-automatic machine should be 15-20% higher than that of analogues made of ferrous metals.
• Before welding aluminum with an electrode, do not forget to calcinate the consumable material, since it is very hygroscopic.
• If the arc breaks when welding with a consumable electrode, then the next seam should overlap the previous one by about 1 cm. Before continuing work, remove the slag crust from the electrode and crater.

Source: https://svarkaed.ru/svarka/svarka-metallov/kak-svarit-detali-iz-alyuminiya-doma.html

Welding aluminum at home

The need to create a connection for difficult-to-weld metals may arise not only in production, but also in the private sphere.

Welding aluminum at home is often carried out, despite all its difficulties, since the metal itself is actively used in industry and many products are made from it. Thus, when repairing, craftsmen often have to deal with it.

The main difficulty of this process is that it is very difficult to create all the necessary conditions at home for the process to occur in the same way as at the enterprise. Accordingly, the quality of the connection may suffer.

Primitive aluminum welding

Basically, simpler equipment is used here, since the welding inverter, which is used for argon-arc welding, together with argon cylinders itself, will have a fairly high cost, as for individuals.

However, the problems of aluminum weldability are not going away, therefore, it is still necessary to deal with metal stress and select means to destroy the oxide film.

One of the main problems is the high fluidity of the metal in the molten state, which complicates welding in various positions, especially in the ceiling.

Argon-arc welding of aluminum at home

Advantages

• Welding aluminum at home turns out to be a cheaper process, especially if you have the appropriate equipment, since you do not have to turn to other specialists;
• You can get the result of the work immediately, and also check it, rather than waiting for it to be received from the workshop;
• It is easier to use available materials;
• There are no high requirements for quality control, since the use of the resulting products, as a rule, does not involve much responsibility.

Flaws

• Welding aluminum at home provides a lower level of joint quality;
• Sometimes it is difficult to choose suitable consumables, especially when it comes to rare cases of use;
• It is difficult to use modern technologies, since at home there are often no suitable things that are used in advanced enterprises;
• It is more difficult to comply with safety precautions, especially when working with gas;
• Welding electrodes may be stored in insufficiently safe conditions, which can cause them to become damp and deteriorate;
• There are no precise methods for monitoring the resulting weld, which is very important before using the product.

Possible methods of welding aluminum at home

At home, not only primitive welding of aluminum using a fusible electrode can be carried out, but also other varieties, depending on the equipment that is used. The following welding methods are distinguished:

• Welding aluminum with an electrode at home. This is the simplest method, as it is very similar to ordinary steel welding, but taking into account all the peculiarities of the behavior of molten aluminum. There is no need for special experience from the craftsman, but it is necessary to take into account the low viscosity of the metal, which complicates the work of beginners and makes the seam not as smooth and monolithic as when welding steel.

• Welding aluminum at home with a gas torch. Here, gas is used as the main temperature force that melts the metal. This reduces the welding speed by three times and makes the process simpler. It uses welding wire that is not coated, which eliminates problems with drying the electrodes. Gas is a more reliable protection than coating the electrodes.

• Argon arc welding. This is one of the best options, since the welding itself occurs under the influence of an arc, and the inert gas argon is used as protection. It uses a non-fusible electrode and filler wire, which ensures a high-quality connection. Welding aluminum at home using this method is rarely used due to the technical complexity of this process.

Materials and tools

Welding aluminum parts requires special technical training, which depends on the chosen method. But even the simplest options require special tools that will help do everything as efficiently and reliably as possible. Among them are such things as:

• A welding machine, which becomes the main power source, providing current with the required parameters for a specific type of welding;
• Electrodes (or filler wire if a gas welding process is used) - this material should be as close as possible to what it will be welded to;
• Gas cylinders with hoses, which are used to connect metal with gas, but this option is not often used at home;
• Grounding for all electrical devices in use;
• Work clothes and welding helmet.

Aluminum welding

Step-by-step instruction

When welding a boat made of aluminum, or other important things, the modes must be followed correctly to achieve the desired result. The following steps are worth highlighting:

• Metal preparation. It may include cutting the edges, which is necessary when the metal thickness is from 4 mm, since aluminum has a low penetration depth, therefore, it is necessary to reduce the thickness by bevelling the edges. It is also necessary to mechanically clean the surface with sandpaper or a wire brush to remove fats, oils, various deposits and films;

Aluminum cleaning

• Then you should carefully distribute the flux (if we are talking about gas welding) to improve the welding properties of the metal;

• After this, it is necessary to heat the metal (again when gas welding) to avoid thermal deformation and promote pre-melting of the flux;

Heating aluminum for welding

• Next, you can begin the welding itself, igniting a flame or arc and forming a seam bead in the weld pool, going along the entire length of the edges;

Welding aluminum with a torch at home

• After finishing the work, you need to let the metal cool and check the quality of the connection using available methods.

"Important!

When TIG welding of aluminum is carried out, it is necessary to use only alternating current, since the quality of the connection with it becomes higher.”

Argon arc welding

Electrode diameter, mm	Workpiece thickness, mm	Constant current, A	AC current, A
1	1..2	1070	1015
1,6	23	40130	3090
2	24	65160	50100
3	46	140180	100160
4	67	250340	140220
5	79	300400	200280
6	910	350450	250300

Gas welding

Workpiece thickness, mm	0,5—0,8	1	1,2	1,5-2	3-4
Acetylene torch power, liter/hour	50	75	75-100	150-300	300-500

Electrode welding

Part thickness, mm	Current strength, A	Welding speed, m/hour
0,6	70	73
1,3	125	153
1,6	130	73
2,3	235	73
3	315	73

Safety precautions

Welding aluminum batteries and other structures primarily involves providing protection for the welder himself. To do this, you must have a full set of work clothes made of fire-resistant fabric and other personal protective equipment. You must also adhere to the same electrical and gas safety rules as at the enterprise. After all, at home, the risk of an accident always becomes higher.

Source: https://svarkaipayka.ru/tehnologia/svarka-alyuminiya/v-domashnih-usloviyah.html

How to weld aluminum at home

Many home craftsmen who have welding equipment and work on it, sooner or later have to face the need to weld parts made of aluminum and its alloys. Aluminum is a light and soft metal, silver-white in color, which in air very quickly becomes covered with a thin and durable film.

The melting point of aluminum is only 660°C, which is almost three times less than the melting point of steel, but aluminum oxide melts at a temperature of more than 2000°C, so welding aluminum at home is associated with some difficulties. Before you start welding aluminum, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the theoretical material.

What and how to weld aluminum

Various technologies are used for welding aluminum, the main task of which is to exclude contact of the cleaned aluminum surface with atmospheric oxygen in order to prevent the formation of an oxide film.

Aluminum can be welded in the following ways:

Argon arc welding

The first method uses a molybdenum (TIG) or tungsten (WIG) non-consumable electrode and filler material. It is usually made from high purity aluminum. Welding work is carried out in an environment of some kind of gas, which is supplied to the welding zone from a cylinder. A special torch is used for this welding.

MIG/MAG is a designation for industrial welding using semi-automatic welding machines, where filler wire is continuously fed into the welding zone by a special device. The point of contact between the electrode and the welded parts is protected from contact with air by a gas flow under pressure. MIG technology involves the use of a neutral gas environment, while MAG welding uses active gases such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. The design of the welding devices, however, remains the same.

In domestic conditions, manual welding (MMA) using electrodes with a special coating is most widespread. Since gas is not used in such work, before welding the oxide film is dissolved with special liquids that remove the film and prevent its formation. Welding aluminum with an electrode at home is most often done using an inverter-type machine.

What is required for welding aluminum and alloys

Depending on the type of welding, additional accessories are used in this process:

• Special electrodes;
• Gas containers;
• Oscillators.

For welding work on aluminum and its alloys, electrodes are used, the brand of which depends on the type of welding. For argon-arc welding, gas is used in cylinders under a certain pressure and a special torch.

The most commonly used burners are RGA-150 for a current of up to 150 amperes and electrodes with a diameter of up to 3.0 mm and RGA-400, which is designed for a current of up to 400 amperes. This burner can use electrodes with a diameter of 4.0-6.0 mm.

The burner nozzle is made of heat-resistant ceramics, in the center of which there is a non-consumable electrode.

Often when welding non-ferrous metals and, in particular, aluminum, an oscillator is used. This is a device that makes it easier to ignite the welding arc. The oscillator converts low-voltage current at industrial frequency into high-voltage pulses with a frequency of 200-500 kHz.

Electrodes for aluminum welding

When electric arc welding using neutral shielding gas, tungsten electrodes are used. Due to their high melting point, they are practically not destroyed during operation. Tungsten rods have a color mark and different characteristics:

• WP (green mark) , made of pure tungsten. Used for welding aluminum and its alloys using alternating current. When working with an oscillator, they produce a stable arc. Thermal load is limited;
• WZ-8 (white mark) are composite electrodes with zirconium oxide. They are characterized by high arc stability and are used for welding aluminum, magnesium and light alloys using alternating current;
• WL-20 (blue mark) and WL-15 (gold mark) can operate on direct and alternating current. Adding 2% lanthanum oxide allows you to increase the welding current.

In domestic conditions, for welding aluminum without a gas environment, welding inverters and special electrodes are most often used:

• OZANA-1,2;
• OZA-1,2;
• ESAB 96.10, ESAB 96.50;
• Capilla ALU 60/12 Si;
• Aluminil Si 12;
• EAL 4047;
• ZELLER 480.

1. ESAB 96.10, OZANA-1 and OZA-1, are used for joining parts made of pure aluminum and some alloys. Cooking should be done with direct current, which is supplied in reverse polarity, that is, the “+” of the inverter is supplied to the electrode, and “–” to the parts being welded, which, if necessary, can be heated during operation.
2. OZANA-2, OZA-2 and ESAB 96.50 electrodes are used for aluminum-silicon alloys. The most common such alloy is silumin.
3. Capilla ALU 60/12 Si and Aluminil Si12 electrodes have a special coating. They can be used for welding products made from most alloys. These are compounds with silicon, magnesium and copper. If the metal being welded has a thickness of more than 15 mm, it must be heated to 150-2500 C.
4. EAL 4047 electrodes are usually used for welding alloy parts and are practically not used for pure aluminum.
5. ZELLER 480 electrodes are widely used in car service centers. With their help, not only welding is performed, but also surfacing of aluminum and any of its alloys. Electrodes of this brand are used for repairing internal combustion engine blocks.

Welding technology of aluminum and its alloys

Aluminum welding is most often performed with a welding inverter using special electrodes. For a small private workshop, you can purchase equipment for TIG welding. To do this, you will need a device equipped with a burner and a gas cylinder, which is purchased separately.

Aluminum and its alloys have some features that make the welding process difficult:

• Oxide film;
• High thermal conductivity;
• Fluidity;
• Uneven crystallization.

The oxide film covering aluminum has a high melting point and interferes with the process of joining parts. The thermal conductivity of aluminum products requires an increase in welding current. Aluminum in its molten form actively spreads, so during welding work it is necessary to use a heat sink.

When joining aluminum alloys, especially those containing silicon, pores and cracks often form, which impair the strength of the weld. A distinctive feature of aluminum is that it does not change color when exposed to temperature, so it is sometimes difficult to determine the starting point of its melting.

TIG welding

To weld aluminum at home using argon, you can use the KEDR TIG 200P or SVAROG PRO TIG 200 P DSP AC/DC welding machines. The devices are equipped with torches with a tungsten electrode.

Preparation for welding includes thoroughly cleaning the metal being welded using a wire brush. It is not recommended to use abrasive materials, as they can contaminate the site of the future seam.

The refractory electrode should be sharpened so that its end is sharp. This makes it easier to ignite the arc.

Welding of aluminum and parts is performed in the gas zone using filler metal. When igniting the arc, you need to make sure that the electrode does not touch the parts being welded and the filler material, so it is useful to use an oscillator. The additive moves in front of the burner strictly along the seam line; perpendicular movements of the burner along the seam are not allowed.

During the welding process, the sharp end of the electrode should melt into a ball. If this does not happen, the welding current should be increased. When welding indoors, the argon flow rate should be 6-8 liters per minute.

The angle of inclination of the torch to the metal being welded should be 70-80°, and the filler rod should be fed so that there is an angle of 90° between it and the torch. The argon supply must continue for at least 15 seconds after welding is completed. This promotes good crystallization of the metal and reduces the possibility of cavities and cracks.

Arc welding with a refractory electrode using shielding gas is carried out only with alternating current. This reduces spatter and improves seam quality.

Covered electrode welding

Welding aluminum at home with an inverter involves the use of coated electrodes. No gas is used in this case. It should be borne in mind that in this way it is possible to weld parts that will not be subjected to large mechanical loads and deformations in the future. Aluminum welding using an inverter-type machine is carried out using direct current with reverse polarity, when the plus is supplied to the electrode.

Before welding, metal surfaces should be degreased with acetone, gasoline or other reagents. To remove the oxide film and improve the quality of the seam, you can treat the welded edges in a 30-40% solution of phosphoric acid.

Welding of aluminum and alloys is carried out using a short arc. The electrode should be held strictly perpendicular to the surfaces to be welded. Welding should be done in one pass, avoiding breaking the arc along the seam line. Transverse movement of the electrode is not allowed. After each pass it is necessary to remove the slag.

Welding aluminum at home is not very difficult if you comply with all the requirements for the production of this work. Beginners need to practice on scrap aluminum before doing the real work.

Source: http://ooo-asteko.ru/kak-zavarit-alyuminiy-v-domashnih-usloviyah/

How to cook aluminum correctly at home

31.03.2019

This metal has an impressive list of advantages, but due to its characteristics, welding aluminum is associated with difficulties. The main problem when independently repairing aluminum parts is the difficulty of creating conditions similar to factory ones. However, simplified technologies also provide acceptable results.

Features of welding aluminum and its alloys

Difficulties in welding aluminum alloys and pure metal are associated with its properties:

1. The melting point of the oxide film covering the surface of this material is 2044⁰C, and the melting point of the metal is 660⁰C.
2. The surface of the droplets formed during the melting of aluminum instantly oxidizes, which prevents the creation of a monolithic seam. Therefore, the weld pool must be protected from contact with air.
3. Due to the high fluidity of the metal in molten form, control over the weld pool is difficult. The problem is solved by placing iron plates under the workpieces to remove heat.
4. Aluminum contains hydrogen, which, when the weld cools, comes out, forming pores and cracks. The alloys contain silicon, which promotes cracking as the joint cools.
5. Aluminum has a high coefficient of thermal expansion, so shrinkage during cooling leads to deformation of the workpieces.
6. Due to the high thermal conductivity, welding must be carried out with a current 1.5 - 2 times greater than when working with steel.
7. When welding aluminum with your own hands, it is not always possible to determine the grade of the alloy, so setting the optimal welding mode is difficult.

Aluminum welding methods

The choice of method by which you can weld aluminum at home is determined by the equipment available. Several methods have been developed, but only three have become popular.

Tungsten electrode

Aluminum is welded using this method when stringent requirements are imposed on the strength of the seam. It is created by melting a filler wire with a diameter of 1.6 - 4 mm by an arc created by a non-consumable tungsten electrode. To protect against oxidation, argon or helium is supplied to the welding site.

The work is performed on alternating current. If the work is carried out indoors, the gas flow is adjusted to within 5 - 8 l/min; outdoors it is more. The electrode diameter and current strength, depending on the thickness of the parts, are determined from the table:

Electrode diameter, mm Metal thickness, mm Current value, A

1	1 — 2	10 — 15
1,6	2 — 3	30 — 90
2	3 — 4	50 — 100
3	4 — 6	100 — 160
4	6 — 7	150 — 220
5	7 — 9	210 — 280
6	9 — 10	260 — 300

When performing welding, the nuances of the method should be taken into account:

• the arc length is maintained at 2.5 mm;
• the electrode is installed at an angle of 80⁰ to the joint;
• the wire is fed at an angle of 90⁰ to the electrode;
• the burner with the electrode is moved following the wire without transverse movements;
• To fill the joint evenly, the wire is fed in short sections;
• a ball of the correct shape should form at the end of the electrode; if not, you need to increase the current;
• the gas is supplied 4 - 5 seconds before welding the products, after completion it is turned off after 6 - 7 seconds.

Source: https://svarkaprosto.ru/tehnologii/kak-varit-alyuminij

How to weld aluminum at home?

Durable aluminum alloys have already entered all spheres of human economic activity. These materials are often used, break down and need repair. In addition, new structures are assembled from them.

Therefore, the topic of welding aluminum at home, with various types of machines that many craftsmen have, is very relevant.

To weld aluminum alloys, you need to keep in mind certain features that are important to take into account in your work, and our task is to consider in detail the technology of this process, the necessary equipment and equipment. We will try to study this topic carefully.

Types of aluminum alloys

Aluminum is not used in its pure form; it is produced in the form of alloys with different physical and chemical properties and is used wherever low weight and good strength properties are important.

These alloys oxidize very quickly in air and form a refractory oxide film on the surface of the workpiece. Therefore, welding aluminum at home requires a special approach to the procedure for joining parts.

The durable oxide layer melts at a temperature of more than 2000°, and the alloys themselves have a melting point of about 600° and their different types have different weldability.

You can understand how to weld aluminum with the best results by familiarizing yourself with the types of alloys that metallurgists create and give them certain qualities. The material differs in strength, weight parameters and ability to withstand repeated loads. Aluminum alloys are composed of several chemical elements, in different combinations, and consist of the following varieties:

• AMts alloy, consisting of manganese impurities and aluminum, welds well;
• aluminum-magnesium alloy AMg3 can be welded without restrictions, and the limitedly weldable varieties are the alloys AMg1, AMg5 and AMg6;
• silumin has an aluminum-silicon composition of grades Al2, Al4 and Al9 with limited weldability;
• grades B95, AB and AK, heat-sealable alloys with difficult weldability;
• duralumin grades D16 and D1, an alloy of aluminum and copper, difficult to weld.

When repairing aluminum products, it can be quite difficult to determine which alloy the part belongs to, but every possible effort must be made to do this. The optimal selection of electrodes, welding wire and output current depends on the weldability parameter.

It is important to understand that the better the grade of material is determined, the higher the quality of the seam and the durability of the connection will ultimately be.

Types of welding for aluminum alloys

The complex chemical composition of the alloys, as well as the oxide, refractory layer, does not make it possible to connect welded workpieces and repaired products in the traditional way. Therefore, the characteristics of welding dictate the use of special electrodes, wires and protective gases that prevent oxidation.

The thickness of the workpiece has a great influence on the quality of the seam, and it should be noted that aluminum has a significant expansion coefficient and high thermal conductivity, which leads to deformation of the seam if the technology is violated.

The most popular methods of welding aluminum alloys are the following types:

• welding using the MMA method with coated consumable electrodes, direct current of reverse polarity, without shielding gas;
• AC TIG method using a tungsten, refractory electrode in an inert environment, alternating high-frequency current;
• MIG welding, using semi-automatic feeding of aluminum wire, with a torch in a protective atmosphere of argon or its mixture with CO2.

The most applicable welding method at home is MMA, but it will be difficult to achieve a thin seam using this method. In addition, the work is preceded by a certain preparatory process of processing the workpieces and calcining the electrodes, and it may be necessary to repeatedly pass through rather expensive electrodes. Not suitable for thin-walled workpieces, and for significant thicknesses it requires edge processing.

The TIG method is more suitable for working with thin-walled workpieces and making a better quality seam. MMA+TIG devices are relatively inexpensive and can significantly expand the range of available work. The so-called argon-arc welding of aluminum is performed using a refractory tungsten electrode and a torch into which an inert gas is supplied.

Semi-automatic MIG welding involves a controlled, automatic supply of wire, which also serves as an electrode, into the weld pool and an inert gas environment. The method makes it possible to achieve very good quality, but requires qualifications and is more expensive than previous methods.

Important. When welding aluminum at home, remember the safety rules, use special clothing and a Chameleon protective mask or its equivalent.

For inexpensive MMA welding, you will need a welding machine, preferably an inverter type. It is lighter than a step-down transformer and has an expanded range of adjustments. You will need the following tools and materials, namely:

1. MMA inverter device;
2. special coated electrodes for welding aluminum alloys;
3. grounding cables and with electrode holder;
4. welding mask;
5. file and wire brush;
6. solvent and flux;
7. grinder and hammer for removing edges and removing slag from the finished seam.

Since the workpieces have high thermal conductivity, pads may be needed under the reverse side of the seam, and the removal of edges depends on the thickness of the metal and is done as necessary. During repairs, it will be possible to weld the defect after particularly thorough cleaning of the area where the intended welding will take place.

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Work with argon welding will require more expensive equipment and manual feeding of welding and filler wire. In addition, a protective environment of argon, helium or a mixture of gases is necessary, but the result lives up to expectations.

Using the TIG method you can weld a variety of metals of different thicknesses and for this you will need:

• inverter MMA+TIG welding machine;
• Eurohose for gas supply;
• torch with tungsten electrode holder;
• reducer with pressure gauges for supplying a mixture of gases;
• connecting hoses;
• aluminum welding wire with additives or flux;
• welding helmet and leggings.

The work is carried out by melting the oxide layer with a pulsed high-frequency current and obtaining a weld pool into which the wire is progressively manually fed. A protective gas cloud is supplied to the pool a little earlier than the welding process, which provides protection from an aggressive oxygen environment.

It must be remembered that the refractory tungsten electrode is very sensitive to contamination, which impairs the quality of welding.

For the MIG method, you will need an adjustable, automatic wire feed device and a torch of a different design that ensures the advancement of the melting element to the metal joint.

Welding process technology

At home, repair work on aluminum products or joining of small workpieces are most in demand, so aluminum welding technology using MMA and TIG methods will be the most suitable. Workpieces 5-7 mm thick are welded using direct current of reverse polarity, but for parts of greater thickness, technological preparation will be required. Welding aluminum using the MMA method consists of the following operations:

• thorough mechanical cleaning of the workpiece surface from the oxide, refractory layer;
• degreasing the surface using solvents;
• remove the edges of parts with a thickness of more than 5 mm at an angle from 45° to 65° to obtain a more durable, uniform seam;
• before work, you need to calcinate the electrodes on aluminum, since their coating is hygroscopic;
• the parts to be welded are heated to 250°C in order to more effectively melt the oxide layer;
• Aluminum welding is carried out with a current of reverse polarity, the strength of which depends on the thickness of the workpieces, weld parameters and alloy composition.

It is important that the seam should not be too thick, otherwise it will be porous and cracked, so for massive parts, it is better to make several passes.

Working with the TIG method at home is slightly more expensive, but the quality of the seam is incomparably better. The process technology consists of performing the following operations:

• the apparatus must contain an oscillator that improves welding parameters and melting of the refractory oxide layer;
• non-consumable tungsten electrode, set 5-6 mm from the tip to avoid excessive consumption of expensive gas;
• argon is supplied at a flow rate of 5-8 liters per minute, depending on the thickness of the workpieces, then voltage is applied with a delay;
• After receiving the weld pool, the welding wire progressively melts.

Welding of the alloy is carried out with pulsed alternating current and allows you to connect thin-walled workpieces, and if difficulties arise, you should seek advice from specialists.

Conclusion

We talked about the technology of welding aluminum at home using an inverter. This process requires caution and compliance with safety regulations. If financial capabilities allow, it is better to purchase an MMA + TIG machine, which gives more scope for welding a wide variety of metals, including aluminum alloys. The choice is yours.

Source: https://electrod.biz/splav/tehnologiya-svarki-alyuminiya.html

welding of aluminum and its alloys at home using an inverter - technology

Aluminum has a long list of advantages; it is not for nothing that it is widely used in aircraft construction. But it has one drawback - it is difficult to weld. Therefore, welding of aluminum and its alloys is the domain of highly qualified welders.

Low weldability of aluminum - what's the matter?

The low weldability of aluminum alloys is due to a number of their qualities.

• An oxide film that covers aluminum and its alloys. Its melting point is 2044C, and the melting point of the metal itself is 660C.
• The high fluidity of the molten metal makes it difficult to control the weld pool, for which it is necessary to install special heat-dissipating pads.
• When heated, hydrogen begins to escape from aluminum, which, after the metal hardens, leaves pores and cracks in its body.
• High shrinkage rate. And this leads to deformation of the welding seam during its cooling.
• The thermal conductivity of aluminum alloys is higher than that of steel, so a current is used to weld them, which is higher in strength than the current for welding steel structures. The difference is about twofold.
• If we talk about welding aluminum with our own hands in a home workshop, then most likely you will not come across pure aluminum. Most likely, it will be an alloy of an unknown brand (duralumin and others), for which, when welding, you will have to adjust the welding mode and select additional materials.

How to cook aluminum correctly

It all starts with preparing the parts, or more precisely, the edges to be joined. The main goal is to clean them of contaminants. Therefore, the edges of aluminum blanks are first cleaned with chemical compounds, and after drying, degreasing is carried out; for this, you can use any solvent: acetone, white spirit, aviation gasoline and other liquids.

If you plan to weld thick aluminum workpieces (more than 4 mm), then their edges must be cut. There are several cutting options, for example, creating tapered edges. And the last operation in the preparation process is to clean the edges from the oxide film. To do this, you can use a file or coarse sandpaper. As you can see, preparing aluminum for welding is a very simple process.

Welding aluminum with a (coated) electrode has its own designation code for the welding mode - MMA. It is used for joining metals with a thickness of at least 4 mm, and when assembling non-critical structures. This technology is of low quality, because during the welding process of aluminum and its alloys, pores remain inside the weld, which reduces its strength. During the process itself, metal splashes, and hardened slag balls are poorly separated, which increases corrosion.

Features of welding aluminum with coated electrodes:

• You can only cook with direct current with reverse polarity.
• The current strength is calculated from the ratio: for 1 mm of workpiece thickness, a current of 25-30 amperes is used.
• To form a high-quality seam, it is necessary to heat the edges of the two parts being welded to 300C, if the thickness of the workpieces is average. And up to 400C with thick workpieces.
• Heating and slow cooling is a mandatory rule that must be followed in order to obtain a high-quality seam.
• Aluminum welding must be performed continuously using a single electrode. The thing is that when the electric arc breaks, a slag film forms on the bath and on the electrode, which blocks the passage of electric current, that is, this is an obstacle to the re-ignition of the arc.
• After the process is completed, the seam must be cleaned of slag, which will cause the formation of corrosion zones.
• You can clean it with hot water followed by a wire brush.

How to weld aluminum with tungsten electrodes in inert gas

This is the most common option, and it is used when strict requirements are placed on the strength of aluminum structures. For this, a filler wire with a diameter of 1.6-4 mm and a tungsten electrode itself with a diameter of 1.6-5 mm are used. And also shielding gas: argon or helium.

The welding process is powered from an alternating current source. All parameters of the technological operation depend specifically on the selected equipment. That is, the welding modes are first determined, after which the diameters of the electrode and wire, argon supply speed, current strength, and so on are selected.

There are also some peculiarities of aluminum welding using this technology:

• The arc length should not be more than 2.5 mm.
• The angle between the welding plane and the tungsten electrode should be within 80°.
• The angle between the wire and the electrode must be right.
• First, the filler wire moves along the seam, followed by a torch with an electrode.
• No transverse movements, only longitudinal ones, which will ensure the evenness of the weld.
• The wire is fed into the welding zone in a reciprocating motion. This will allow the bath to fill evenly.
• Aluminum blanks must be laid on top of an iron sheet, which in this case will remove heat from the welding zone.
• The argon gas flow begins to flow before the start of the welding process in 4-5 seconds, and at the end of welding it turns off after 6-7 seconds.

How to cook aluminum with semi-automatic machines

This is an ideal option where an aluminum welding machine is used. It is impulse action. That is, a high voltage pulse is applied to the welding zone, which quickly breaks the oxide layer. After which the voltage drops to the base level. But today these devices are very expensive. Therefore, welders began to adapt semi-automatic machines for this technology, which do not even have a mode for welding aluminum and its alloys.

In essence, the technology for welding aluminum is exactly the same as for steel. Only instead of steel wire, aluminum is used. There are other features too.

• Aluminum wire melts several times faster than steel wire, so it is necessary to increase the speed of its feeding into the welding zone.
• When heated, aluminum wire expands more than steel wire, so it is recommended to purchase a special tip, designated by the letters “Al”.
• Since aluminum wire is softer than steel, loops and twists may form during its feeding into the welding zone, so it is recommended to use a mechanism with four rollers to feed it.

Welding aluminum at home with an inverter

Welding of duralumin (aluminum alloy) or aluminum itself can be carried out with an inverter. For the process, it is necessary to select the correct electrode and current. As for electrodes, it is better to use OZANA, OZA or OZR brands. The installation (adjustment) of the current must take into account the high melting properties of the metal. For this purpose there is no need to set a large current.

Attention! Before starting the welding process, it is recommended to calcinate the electrodes, for which a special oven is used. That’s what it’s called – a furnace for calcining electrodes.

The welding process itself is no different from welding steel structures. And if you are faced with the question of whether it is possible to cook aluminum at home, then feel free to answer that it is possible.

Welding aluminum using fluxes

Fluxes for welding aluminum have been used for a long time. They are represented by a wide range of models, where there are materials for different aluminum alloys. Their main purpose is to destroy the oxide film. When heated, the applied flux dissolves and destroys the oxide, and the two elements are immediately connected.

Manufacturers offer fluxes that are used only in gas welding of aluminum, or only in arc welding. In the latter case, graphite or carbon electrodes are used.

Conclusion on the topic

As you can see, aluminum billets can be welded in different ways, which use different welding equipment. But in all cases, the metal to be welded must be carefully prepared, and the welding machine must be set up for welding. Watch the video tutorial on how to weld aluminum. By the way, video lessons give you the opportunity to see with your own eyes what welded metal looks like in its final form.

Source: https://svarkalegko.com/tehonology/svarka-alyuminiya.html

How can you weld aluminum at home?

Modern industrial production is developing by leaps and bounds, and over time, many different ways of connecting metal parts have appeared. However, they are all conditionally divided into two categories:

1. Detachable (that is, they can be dismantled without violating the integrity of the entire structure).
2. One-piece (during dismantling the structure is destroyed).

The last category also includes connections using welding seams. It is often used with steel parts, but in some cases there is a need to weld aluminum products.

What does a beginner need to know?

Welding aluminum is characterized by one significant feature: upon contact with oxygen, a kind of oxide film appears on its surface, which can only be removed by chemical action. This explains the use of substances designed to prevent its formation and allow direct contact with the metal surface. All such products are called fluxes.

In addition to fluxes, during the welding process at home it is necessary to use a tool used to remove dirt. We are talking about special steel brushes.

Basic welding methods

Welding aluminum at home can be carried out using two different methods.

1. The area of ​​the future joint is heated with a gas burner.
2. Using electrical voltage, where the stability of the spark is controlled by a closed electrical circuit.

Gas welding of aluminum

Step one.

First, you should take care of all the necessary tools. In addition to all of the above, gas welding also uses a small-sized aluminum rod , which allows not only to obtain a high-quality seam, but also a reliable connection.

I would like to devote a few words to these rods.

Firstly , there are several modifications of it, which are chosen depending on the percentage of aluminum in the metal and its thickness. Thus, the rods can be about 3% manganese or more, with a diameter of 2 to 4 millimeters.

Secondly , such rods are sold by weight: if necessary, you can purchase one or five kilograms in a compact plastic cartridge.

Don’t forget about the gas burner itself—you won’t be able to cook anything without it.

Step two.

After we have carefully prepared for work, we can begin to clean the surface of the part at the places of future joints. This is where a steel brush comes in handy.

Step three.

After cleaning, the contact areas (and the surface closest to them) should be treated with flux. This will prevent the appearance of an oxide film and give us access directly to the aluminum itself.

We heat the gas burner to the required temperature and use it to heat the seams. At the same time, we apply an additional rod, which, under the influence of fire, melts and mixes with the main mixture, connecting them at the same time.

Electric welding

This kind of aluminum welding at home will require you to have extraordinary skills and craftsmanship.

After all, here it is necessary not only to optimally choose the diameter of the electrode used (remember, it is this that closes the contact at the joint and heats the metal to a temperature as close as possible to the melting point), but also the necessary mode of operation of the welding device. Read more about how to properly cook with electric welding

Electric welding is often with metal whose thickness does not exceed four millimeters. In addition, it has a number of disadvantages:

1. The quality of the seam leaves much to be desired.
2. During operation, metal splashes.
3. Poorly separated slag, which can subsequently cause rust.

Step one.

Preparing for work. We collect all the necessary tools (which were described earlier), prepare the welding machine and select electrodes. It is desirable that these are electrodes coated with aluminum - they melt several times faster than steel ones, hence the higher operating speed.

Step two.

We activate the welding machine. It should be noted that for aluminum of medium thickness a temperature from 250°C to 300°C , and for thick, massive parts - about 400°C.

Step three.

When welding, it is recommended to cool it slowly after heating the aluminum. This will prevent the occurrence of crystallization cracks, and also allows you to obtain a sufficient degree of penetration with minimal energy consumption. If we weld large parts, we use local heating.

We weld the necessary parts. Under no circumstances should the electrode vibrate transversely!

Step five.

After the welding is completed, we remove the formed slag from the seam, wash the seam and re-treat it with a steel brush. Otherwise, the structure will rust.

Some recommendations

Source: https://varimtutru.com/chem-mozhno-zavarit-alyuminiy-v-domashnih-usloviyah/

Welding aluminum at home in different ways

Welding aluminum at home

Few craftsmen know that welding aluminum at home is quite possible with their own hands, without using any complex and expensive tools for this.

It is also not necessary to have a special machine for welding aluminum, since all the work can be done in several ways, each of which has its own specific rules.

However, the aluminum welding process cannot be called simple, therefore, without any experience in this type of work, you should familiarize yourself with the technology in more detail.

Welding aluminum at home

To weld aluminum, you can use an argon arc machine. Moreover, it doesn’t matter at all whether it has melting electrodes or not. Using this method of welding aluminum, there is absolutely no need for fluxes and solders, so the technical advantage increases.

It is also possible to use special metal electrodes for welding aluminum. However, if an automatic argon-arc apparatus is used for welding, then you will still need to purchase chemically pure fluxes made from special components.

Aluminum resistance welding

The last method of welding aluminum at home is called resistance welding. To carry out contact welding of aluminum, a special electric drive machine is required. However, like the previous method, this option is quite difficult to implement at home, and having the necessary experience to perform this work is a must.

How to cook aluminum

Initially, you need to clean the surface of the aluminum in those places where the joints will be located. This procedure is carried out using a steel brush. Next, it is imperative to coat all contact points with a special flux.

Having completed the preparation, you can begin to heat up the gas burner. After the tool has heated up to the required temperature, it carefully warms up the seams. At the same moment, a rod is brought in, which, under the influence of a flame, will begin to mix with aluminum .

It is also worth understanding that melting metal takes a lot of time, so you should immediately prepare for a long-term process. In addition, when welding aluminum, certain safety standards must be observed. Otherwise, harm to your own health and the health of others may be caused.

This is the technology used to weld aluminum. Once again, it should be noted that this process requires careful preparation and certain skills, without which you should not take on the work yourself.

Source: https://samastroyka.ru/svarka-alyuminiya-doma.html

Welding aluminum at home: features, techniques, stages, equipment and materials

Semi-automatic and automatic welding are the most common techniques for soldering silver metal. There are many subtleties that need to be taken into account when metalworking.

Craftsmen are looking for the best method of joining aluminum and its alloys, because certain properties of the latter complicate the work. Nevertheless, this material has enough advantages: lightness, resistance to loads, good thermal conductivity, and therefore current.

Using autowelding it is possible to create different metal structures. You can also handle electric welding of an aluminum frame (for example, a bicycle frame).

In this article we will describe the intricacies of welding: what you need to know in order to weld winged metal and its alloys efficiently, so that the weld is strong and lasts a long time.

Welding Characteristics

This material, and its alloys too, have distinctive properties. Often, beginners do not imagine what kind of obstacles will arise during metalworking.

The primary difficulty that will appear when welding aluminum alloys at elevated temperatures is an oxide film. It covers the surface of the element and melts at a temperature twice as high as the melting point of aluminum itself.

Because of this, it is not possible to properly weld and create a seam.

Even after simply melting the metal, an oxide film is layered, which covers the entire welding area. This situation can be avoided by first using shielding gases.

For example, when connecting copper and aluminum, argon is used. It protects the welding area from the formation of oxide, and also makes it easier to form a seam.

The next difficulty is the excessive fluidity of the molten metal. When the element heats up, it begins to spread, which prevents the creation of a weld pool. Therefore, to avoid this problem, we recommend using thermally conductive pads.

It is important to consider that the material in question contains a lot of hydrogen. As the element cools, it breaks out, which creates cracks and holes in the connection.

Due to the increased coefficient of linear expansion, even a high-quality seam can deteriorate as it cools. Essentially, the metal shrinks (like wood). The seam changes and cracks appear. For example, the photo below.

Welding aluminum with stainless steel should be carried out at a high welding current. Earlier we already mentioned the good thermal conductivity of the material, which means it will only allow small currents to pass through itself, as a result of which electric welding will be unsuccessful.

When working with stainless steel, the supplied current should not exceed the current value for electric welding of light metal by 1.5 times.

We recommend using direct current and setting reverse polarity. This will equalize the negative properties of the oxide film due to cathode sputtering. And direct current with straight polarity will not allow you to weld aluminum.

An important point during welding, especially at home, is the lack of information about the quality of the raw materials. Even when in production, the brand of the latter is rarely known. What causes the difficulty in choosing the right welding technique and mode?

At first everything seems very complicated, which often turns off beginners. In fact, there is a solution to every situation. Understanding all the nuances of working with this material, you can establish a metalworking method.

Techniques for welding silver metal

There are several techniques for electric welding of aluminum, its alloys or stainless steel. Each of them involves the use of auxiliary components, such as gas, special. electrodes or glue.

We will consider the most well-known solutions in both industrial and home welding.

MAG/MIG welding

During MAG/MIG welding of aluminum, a semi-automatic welding device is used, and the gas is replaced with wire.

As a result, the weld turns out to be of quite high quality, because the filler metal is supplied automatically.

MMA Welding (arc welding)

Aluminum arc welding is the most common method of electric welding of aluminum at home.

This method is mainly used for minor repairs, since the quality of the seam is clearly lower than with TIG/MAG welding. But when working, you will only need electrodes with a special coating.

Dry welding

When dry (or so-called “cold”) welding of aluminum, parts are joined using auxiliary materials or mechanical manipulation, rather than heating.

Such materials: special. glue or deforming machine (it also eliminates the oxide film). Why the connection is formed. To illustrate this operating principle, check out the video.

Regardless of which method you decide to weld metal, the result will be successful only if the resistance of the oxide film to the welding zone is reduced.

Aluminum preparation

Raw materials must be prepared in advance, regardless of whether it is home or professional metalworking. Below are all the main steps:

The first step is to clean the surface of the aluminum and filler wire from any kind of contamination. You definitely need to go over them with a cloth, even if the materials seem clean.

The next step is degreasing with any solvent, such as acetone.

Edge cutting is a preliminary procedure, but is performed only when necessary.

For example, in the case of working with parts thicker than 5 mm, and when welding, coated rods are not used; if the metal thickness is more than 20 mm, and rods are used, then you should not bypass this preparation stage.

You need to remember about the oxide film. Some of it can be preliminarily eliminated before welding—partially, of course, but the number of residues will decrease. To do this you will need a file or a steel bristle brush.

After removing the film from the edges, you can begin to work. When welding aluminum at home, many craftsmen use gasoline or soda to remove the film. After processing, it is worth rinsing the edges with water.

At the end, cleanup is performed. To get rid of the remnants of frozen aluminum drops and slag, you need to clean the resulting weld seam with a stiff wire brush.

Parting words

After reading this article, you will think that welding aluminum at home is not an easy task.

This often means that the welder does not have professional equipment, expensive components, and sometimes the proper experience at hand.

Does this mean that you will not be able to do a relatively high-quality job? No. Follow our instructions and practice on a test piece of light metal. Good luck!

Source: https://prosvarku.info/tehnika-svarki/svarka-alyuminiya-v-domashnih-usloviyah