One way to gain the benefits of helium without the cost is to use small additions of nitrogen in the argon shielding gas. In addition, with demand exceeding the global available supply, prices have steadily increased. While demand for helium, a nonrenewable resource, has been steadily growing in different applications, the worldwide availability of this product continues to be extremely tight. Helium is more costly than argon, so significant additions such as 50% or even 75% helium content gets expensive. This works quite well, except for the cost of the shielding gas. Adding helium forces the constant-current power supply to deliver more voltage, which will add heat. We see many customers choosing to add helium to their normal shielding gas, for example, 100% argon. The thermal conductivity of aluminum is such that thicker or heavier sections require a high heat input to satisfactorily join the metal. Gas suppliers often see that the selection of gas is driven by ease of use, heat-input needs, and cost. Shielding gas is a necessity when welding aluminum. Material condition affects a number of preparation and joining steps. Shielding gas can impact the width of the bead as well as the depth of penetration in certain specific instances. While there are a number of variables involved with welding aluminum, there are two in particular that will be addressed in this article: shielding gas and material condition. Two of the most common are gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) and gas metal arc welding (GMAW).

There are a number of welding processes suitable for joining aluminum.

Many applications require joining the aluminum, and often the joining method of choice is welding. 1 – Aluminum is a popular material in general industrial applications due to its lightweight strength and corrosion resistance, making it a suitable material for helping to lower vehicle emissions.

Aws a5.32 mix gas