Wrought aluminum alloys can be joined by most fusion and solid state processes, as well as by brazing and soldering (See ALUMINUM BRAZING and ALUMINUM SOLDERING).
The relative weldability of the wrought non-heat treatable alloys is shown in Table A-7. Similar information for the wrought heat-treatable alloys is shown in Table A-8. In addition to the processes listed in the tables, wrought aluminum alloys are welded by electron beam and plasma arc welding, and such solid state processes as friction welding, diffusion welding, explosion welding, high frequency welding and cold welding. Submerged arc welding is one of the few processes not commercially used on wrought aluminum alloys.
The selection of a process for welding wrought aluminum alloys depends on many factors, such as the application and service environment, the physical dimensions of the parts being welded, the number of parts involved, the joint design required for the application, and the welding equipment available to do the job.
The selection of filler metals for welding wrought aluminum alloys depends on the particular alloy, but also may be influenced by the process selected and the service requirements of the product. Some additional considerations are joint design, dilution, cracking tendencies, strength and ductility requirements, corrosive environment, and appearance. Table A-9 shows a filler metal selection chart for welding aluminum alloys.
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