The Challenges of Welding Aluminium
Aluminium is a fantastic material for building and construction. Its key assets? It is durable, flexible, light-weight, strong and resistant to corrosion. But due to its unique assets, aluminium is much more challenging to work with than steel and other commonly used materials. It is a sensitive metal that can easily bend, break and change its colour, which is why you need to be familiar with special welding techniques. Here are some of the common problems and possible solutions for them!
Aluminium Cracks Easily One of the most common challenges to aluminium fabrication Perth engineers are facing, is its unstable chemical composition. Its strength decreases as temperatures get higher, which makes it more brittle than other metals. Problem: Welding can cause cracking and breaking. How? While hot cracking occurs due to aluminium’s chemical composition, stress cracking results from mechanical pressures. Both types of cracks can cause weld failure. Solution: You can prevent hot cracking while welding aluminium by using a filler metal which is less prone to heat and is much less brittle. It Has a Low Melting Point There are many advantages of using aluminium in mechanical engineering Perthwide. It is light, resistant to corrosion, and it has high conductivity, formability and recyclability. However, aluminium can’t withstand high temperatures because it has a low melting point. It is 660 degrees Celsius, compared to 1,500 degrees for steel. Its oxide layer is harder and melts on 2072 degrees, which helps aluminium resist abrasion and corrosion. Continue Reading