http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_TechCell.cfm The Aluminum Welding tech cell is packed with specific links to help you find product information, suppliers, technical articles, case studies, seminars and conferences, as well as books, software, and videos on metal fabricating-related topics. en-us http://www.thefabricator.com/RSS/images/thefabricator_rss.gif http://www.thefabricator.com Copyright 2007 FMA Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. official publication date Tue, 21 Aug 2007 11:17:25 AM CDT Vicki Bell Laurie Harshbarger http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=1677 I have some aluminum sheet that I would like to use to fabricate a project. The only marking on it is "Alclad." Other than that, I have no idea what alloy it is. Can you tell me what filler metal to use to weld it? Whether you realize it or not, you have seen Alclad sheet hundreds of times. The fuselage skin and wings of every commercial airplane you have ever seen are made from Alclad sheet. Alclad is a thin layer of pure aluminum that is roll-bonded onto a thicker sheet of one of... Frank Armao Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=1631 I have a fabrication project involving 5454 aluminum plate, and I was told to weld this alloy using 5183 filler wire. Is this correct? If you check any of the charts showing the recommended filler metals for the various aluminum alloys, you will find that 5554 is the recommended filler wire for 5454 parent material because its chemistry is a close match to that of 5454 and it is the best ­recommendation in all respects. Filler wire 5183 was developed as a high-strength... Frank Armao Tue, 08 May 2007 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=1458 Both are acceptable for welding 6061-T6, but each has advantages and disadvantages depending on the application. An aluminum alloy containing 5 percent magnesium, 5356 generally is stronger and more ductile than 4043. But 4043, which contains 5 percent silicon, typically flows better, is more crack-resistant, easier to weld with, less prone to weld smut, and yields a more aesthetic weld. You're probably wondering this: If 5356 is stronger, shouldn't I always use it? The answer is n... Frank Armao, Contributing Writer Tue, 03 Oct 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=1453 Brian Nielson, an automated fusion technician with Wing Enterprises, operates one of the company’s robotic welding workcells. Nielson said that moving to robotic welding has helped the company’s productivity increase by 25 percent to 30 percent. Hal Wing's family business started 32 years ago as many entrepreneurs did: with a product and a patent. Wing Enterprises' success hinged on its Little Giant® brand of adjustable ladders. Although business was going w... Tue, 12 Sep 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=1405 U.S. Air Force security police use this response boat to conduct sea trials. Bellingham, Wash., has a long tradition of seafaring sailors and boat-builders. During the 1800s many full-rigged ships hauled lumber to places like California and Hawaii. During World War II wooden mine sweepers were constructed for wartime duty. Fiberglass river patrol boats were built locally for service in the Vietnam War. Numerous commercial fishing vessels and pleasure boats have come from Bellingham s... Bob Hollingsworth, Contributing Writer Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=1173 Aluminum piping is test-welded in a laboratory. A large number of fabricators manufacture carbon and stainless steel piping systems, and in general, the welding procedures and techniques for manufacturing them are well-known. But few fabricators manufacture aluminum piping systems, and the manufacturing techniques aren't as widely known. In fact, the material differences between steel and aluminum make the fabrication practices for them decidedly different. Welding Steel Pipe Joi... Frank G. Armao Tue, 11 Oct 2005 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=726 I want to buy a small gas metal arc welding (GMAW) machine, preferably one that runs from 120-V input power. Most of my welding will be steel, but I would like to weld aluminum occasionally. Can these machines really weld aluminum? I’ve heard a lot of different opinions. Some companies claim their machines will weld aluminum, some companies make no mention of aluminum at all, and some companies have actively discouraged me. What’s the real story? First of all, I’m glad you a... Frank Armao, Contributing Writer Thu, 25 Sep 2003 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=686 I’m looking for a new GTAW power supply for AC aluminum welding. I had intended to buy a conventional transformer unit, but several people have told me to buy an inverter-based power supply. Which one is better for my application? Inverter-based power supplies do have some advantages over conventional transformer-based power supplies. However, some of these advantages have been overstated and others are not significant to all users. So let’s examine the differences between... Frank Armao, Contributing Writer Thu, 28 Aug 2003 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=647   Direct Current All welding power supplies transform relatively high-voltage, low-current incoming power to lower-voltage, high-current welding output using a transformer. In the past the transformer operated directly from 50- or 60-hertz incoming alternating current (AC). At these frequencies, a lot of heat is generated in the transformer, so it must be relatively large and heavy. Additionally, if 60 Hz is used, control signals are limited to being issued at no more than 120 p... Frank Armao, Contributing Writer Thu, 24 Jul 2003 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/AluminumWelding/AluminumWelding_Article.cfm?ID=613 I’ve read that constant-current (CC) power supplies are preferred for gas metal arc welding (GMAW) aluminum, but when I visit companies that sell welding equipment, they tell me I want a constant-voltage (CV) power supply. What’s the real story? Can I use the more common CV power supplies or not? This controversy has gone on for 40 years or so. At one time the statement that CC power supplies are preferred was true. However, welding power supplies have changed a lot, esp... Frank Armao, Contributing Writer Thu, 12 Jun 2003 12:00:00 AM CDT