WELDING, can you arc weld aluminium???????????

Answer 1

You can arc weld aluminium using a MMA (Manual Metal Arc) electrodes. It is one of the older systems of joining aluminium together but still in use today when more proficient ways of welding aluminium are unavailable.
It is exactly the same as Electric Arc Welding, where the weld is covered with removable slag which has to be removed after the completed weld has cooled.
The usual methods of joining aluminium is by MIG (metal Inert gas) welding , a semi automatic process or TIG (tungsten Inert Gas), a manual process, Both processes use an inert gas or a mixture of gases as a shield for the weld metal.

Answer 2

Arc Welding Aluminium

Answer 3

Some very complex answers to a very simple question! Yes, you can arc weld aluminium with rods. DC is preferable.

Answer 4

Yes, either by using special aluminum rods with an arc welder or by a process such as TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding which uses a gas to shield the arc and and uses a seperate aluminum filler rod.

Answer 5

Yes here is the information:
Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), also known as tungsten
inert gas (TIG) welding, is an arc welding process that uses a nonconsumable tungsten electrode to produce the weld. The weld area is protected from atmospheric contamination by a shielding gas (usually an inert gas such as argon), and a filler metal is normally used, though some welds, known as autogenous welds, do not require it. A constant-current welding power supply produces energy which is conducted across the arc through a column of highly ionized gas and metal vapors known as a plasma.

GTAW is most commonly used to weld thin sections of stainless steel and light metals such as aluminum, magnesium, and copper alloys. The process grants the operator greater control over the weld than competing procedures such as shielded metal arc welding and gas metal arc welding, allowing for stronger, higher quality welds. However, GTAW is comparatively more complex and difficult to master, and furthermore, it is significantly slower than most other welding techniques. A related process, plasma arc welding, uses a slightly different welding torch to create a more focused welding arc and as a result is often automated.
Aluminum and magnesium are most often welded using alternating current, but the use of direct current is also possible, depending on the properties desired. Before welding, the work area should be cleaned and may be preheated to 175 to 200 °C (350 to 400 °F) for aluminum or to a maximum of 150 °C (300 °F) for thick magnesium workpieces to improve penetration and increase travel speed. AC current can provide a self-cleaning effect, removing the thin, refractory aluminium oxide (sapphire) layer that forms on aluminium metal within minutes of exposure to air. This oxide layer must be removed for welding to occur. When alternating current is used, pure tungsten electrodes or zirconiated tungsten electrodes are preferred over thoriated electrodes, as the latter are more likely to "spit" electrode particles across the welding arc into the weld. Blunt electrode tips are preferred, and pure argon shielding gas should be employed for thin workpieces. Introducing helium allows for greater penetration in thicker workpieces, but can make arc starting difficult.

Direct current of either polarity, positive or negative, can be used to weld aluminum and magnesium as well. Direct current with a positively charged electrode (DCEP) allows for high penetration, Short arc length (generally less than 2 mm or 0.07 in) gives the best results, making the process better suited for automatic operation than manual operation. Shielding gases with high helium contents are most commonly used with DCEN, and thoriated electrodes are suitable. Direct current with a negatively charged electrode (DCEN) is used primarily for shallow welds, especially those with a joint thickness of less than 1.6 millimeters (0.06 in). A thoriated tungsten electrode is commonly used, along with a pure argon shielding gas.[23]

Answer 6

Yes use Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG Welding)

Answer 7

Yes, nowadays the process called "Tig welding", flux is not needed, but a gas is.

Answer 8

Aluminium is constantly covered by its oxide.

When doing metalwork at school (back in the 60s)
the answer was it's possible but difficult.

Answer 9

Yes.

Answer 10

yes