How to Pulse Weld Aluminum
Aluminum is used by manufactures to reduce the weight of vehicles, tools and even buildings. The problem arises when you need to weld metals such as aluminum and steel which are not compatible for fusion welding. That's when magnetic pulse welding is useful. This heat-free welding process can join aluminum with other metals without the internal stress and brittleness caused by fusion welding.
Instructions
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Insert the aluminum and the material you wish to weld it to in the coil of a magnetic pulse welding, or MPW, system. The coil of a MPW system can be designed to sandwich the aluminum and the steel --- a double-layer coil --- or to lie underneath the aluminum and steel sheets --- an E-shaped coil.
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Charge the capacitor of the MPW system.
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Trigger the MPW system's low inductance switch. This applies current to the coil, which creates two powerful magnetic fields. One field is generated through the coil and another by the metal's external section. The two fields repel each other with a force equal to the square of the discharge current, which causes the metals in the coil to be driven together at high speed and form an impact-type weld. The impact is so great the two metals behave as liquids for an instant and create a permanent weld.
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Tips & Warnings
Magnetic pulse welding can be used to combine several aluminum alloys, such as A1050, A7075 and A3004. This method allows new designs that were previously impossible with conventional welding techniques. Also, because magnetic pulse welding is a cold weld, the metals' original heat treatment properties remain unchanged.
MPW systems use huge magnetic and electric currents and require specialized training to operate them.
