Aluminum alloys in welding: How to recognize them and material to use to weld them

We still talk about aluminum welding.

Sometimes a suggestion is asked regarding the type of alloy to use the aluminum welding. This often happens regarding TIG welding in the choice of contribution chopsticks or even in the MIG wire welding for the choice of wire.

We remind you that normally aluminum is a composition of more elements in which we find magnesium prevalences (mg) or silicon (si) but not only.
For a correct fusion of the parties it would be necessary to make sure of the composition of the material, normally if requested by the supplier is identified with a number that distinguishes it. It is possible (but it is not said) that the representative code of the aluminum alloy is stamped above the surface of the material to be welded.

Aluminum alloys are classified according to the chemical components present in the League:

• 1000 series minimum aluminum 99.00%
• 2000 Series Main copper element (CU)
• 3000 Series Main manganese element (MN)
• Series 4000 main silicon element (si)
• 5000 Series Main magnesium element (mg)
• Series 6000 main magnesium element + silicon
• Series 7000 main zinc element (ZN)
• Series 8000 Other elements
• 9000 series not used

For a correct search for the welding material (TIG chopsticks, MMA or MIG / MAG wire electrodes) for equal or different alloys it is advisable to consult the following table: