How to Troubleshoot Aluminum Welding

Burning Through

• 1

  Increase the speed of the weld by moving the tungsten along the filler rod at a faster pace. This will not cause a poorer weld but will cause less heat on the base metal, the aluminum.

• 2

  Move the tungsten rod from side to side over the filler rod to spread the heat.

• 3

  Change the filler rod to a thinner rod for faster welding. For example, if a 1/16-inch aluminum is burning through, change your filler rod from the 3/36-inch to a 1/16-inch rod.

Dirty Weld

• 4

  Clean the aluminum with a steel wire brush to remove dirt, oil and other debris.

• 5

  Choose the correct thickness of filler rod for the thickness of the aluminum. For example, a 1/4-inch thick aluminum base material needs a 3/16-inch filler rod.

• 6

  Use the push angle technique instead of the usual drag angle technique. The push angle technique is angling the collet in the direction of the weld. Drag angle technique is pulling the collet toward you as you weld.

• 7

  Keep the argon gas level even throughout the weld. The proper flow of gas is 15 to 20 cfh (cubic foot per hour).

Improper Bead Color

• 8

  Clean the aluminum with a steel wire brush to remove dirt, oil and other debris. Wash the fillings and debris off with clear water.

• 9

  Dry the aluminum with a cotton towel before welding. Moisture on the base material can cause porosity in the weld.

• 10

  Tighten the collet and the weld gun handle and check the security of the hoses. These can come loose on older machines as the work progresses from pulling or movement.

• 11

  Replace the tungsten rod if it has touched the aluminum pool. The pool is the melted aluminum connecting with the filler rod. A contaminated tungsten rod will not transfer the electricity properly.