Welding Precautions - Aluminum

WELDING PRECAUTIONS - ALUMINUM

Material

Material:

General Equipment

General Equipment:

WARNING:
- Invisible ultraviolet and infrared rays emitted in welding can injure unprotected eyes and skin. Always use protection such as a welder's helmet with dark-colored filter lenses of the correct density. Electric welding will produce intense radiation, therefore, filter plate lenses of the deepest shade providing adequate visibility are recommended. It is strongly recommended that persons working in the weld area wear flash safety goggles. Also wear protective clothing. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.
- Always wear protective equipment including eye protection with side shields, and a dust mask when sanding or grinding. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury.

CAUTION: When welding is carried out anywhere on the vehicle, precautionary measures should be taken to prevent damage to electrical system wiring or components. Welding cables should never be allowed to lay on, near or across any electrical wiring or electronic component during welding.

Correct equipment and cleaning procedures must be used when welding aluminum. Gas-metal-arc-welding (GMAW) or metal inert gas (MIG) and gas-tungsten-arc-welding (GTAW) or tungsten inert gas (TIG) are used for welding aluminum and aluminum alloys.
- The correct protective clothing should always be worn.
- Correct ventilation must be provided to avoid the accumulation of poisonous gases.
- Disconnect the battery(s).
- Disconnect on-vehicle modules adjacent to the welding area and protect them from possible heat damage and electrical currents when welding.
- Use a stainless steel wire brush to remove aluminum oxides.
- Aluminum oxide is a natural coating that forms on bare aluminum to protect the aluminum from corrosion.
- Aluminum oxide needs to be removed prior to carrying out weld procedures as it has a different melting point than the base metal, approximately 2,050°C (3,725°F) while the base metal melts at about 650°C (1205°F).
- Make sure the surface is clean and free of foreign materials.
- Use degreasers that do not contain hydrocarbons.
- Avoid touching surfaces to be joined with bare hands as dirt or oils on the skin may contaminate the surfaces.
- Do not use a wire brush that has been used on stainless or carbon steel.
- Follow the equipment manufacturer's prescribed procedures as aluminum and aluminum alloys have a higher thermal conductivity and lower melting point which can lead to easier burn through.
- A test weld should always be carried out on a test sample.
- Preheating the aluminum workpiece can help prevent weld cracking. The preheating temperature should not exceed 110°C (230°F).
- Use a temperature indicator to prevent overheating.
- Control heat buildup using a temporary or permanent backing plate and heat sink compounds.
- Attach the ground clamp as close as possible to the work area.
- Types of filler rods to use when TIG welding aluminum:
- Aluminum-silicon alloy
- Aluminum-magnesium alloy

- Adequate power supply needs to be used to make sure of correct equipment performance.
- Corrosion protection needs to be restored whenever it is necessary to sand or grind through painted surfaces or E-coat, or when bare metal repairs are carried out. Refer to Restoring Corrosion Protection Following Repair - Aluminum.