Aluminium Welding Isn't Just About The Wire

In fabrication shops all over the world, skilled welders are producing consumer products

, from cars to paper foil made from aluminium. Although aluminium is the third most common element on the planet, scientists thought for a long time that it was rare. However, when a method was found for extracting it from bauxite, it was produced in huge quantities, thus leading to its position today as a key resource in the manufacture of thousands of products. This required the development of new human skills along with innovations in the equipment used in the manufacturing process. These developments are on-going as industry finds more and better ways to use this metal.

In new methods of Aluminium Fabrication Brisbane companies are keeping pace with these new skills and techniques at the setup stage. Regardless of these skills, there are a couple of other areas where it is necessary to acquire other knowledge of aluminium welding techniques and methods.

Power Sources:

The power source that needs to be used for aluminium welding is dependant upon the regularity of the task and on the thickness of the materials that are going to be welded. For infrequent users, a small wire feed welder system in the 130-170 amp range is sufficient for material thinner than 3/16". There is also a mid-range option, and for serious aluminium fabricators, a unit with pulse welding capabilities allows the use of a larger diameter wire electrode which feeds easier and with less porosity.

Selection of Feeding System:

There are three main methods of feeding aluminium wire, all with their benefits and limitations:

=> The push method is best for both large diameter wire and stiff wire. It costs less as only one motor is needed at the wire drive. The compact gun gives better accessibility to tight spaces but is unsuitable for long gun lengths as the wire tangles.

=> Spool guns are suitable for small diameter, softer wires, are relatively simple to use and inexpensive. However, the larger gun makes close welding more difficult. Also, the small spool of electrode they hold makes change-overs frequent.

=> The push-pull method is the most flexible and can accommodate any type of aluminium wire without tangling. It has the feeding performance of a spool gun and holds a much larger wire spool. The gun is comfortable, ergonomically designed, fits into tight spaces and operates at distance from the power source. It is the most expensive although that is changing with advances in technology.

A purchaser should at least have this amount of information as an absolute minimum prior to acquiring such an expensive piece of welding equipment. It is easy to get confused with the many choices available, but because of the importance of getting the correct type of equipment for Pipe Fabrication Brisbane suppliers are happy to assist.

Copyright (c) 2010 Nadine Davis

by: Nadine Davis

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