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  • Al-GMAW 6000-series

    From Richard Smith@21:1/5 to All on Thu Aug 26 21:36:26 2021
    Hi all
    Is eg. 5083 (Al-Mg) much easier to Al-GMAW than 6000-series
    (Al-Si-Mg)?
    On 5083 I easily get really need welds, even if I say it myself.
    On 6000-series the arc seems really fiesty. Welding 6000-series to
    5083 it seems the 6000-series kick the arc off and the arc lands on
    the 5083?
    In other ways 6000-series seems like harder work to weld.
    This fits with others' experience?

    By the way - 3mm (1/8th-inch) thick 6000-series seems to be were the
    most work is, as I've experienced so far ??

    Best wishes,
    Rich S

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  • From Richard Smith@21:1/5 to All on Thu Aug 26 21:45:52 2021
    I forgot to say - GMAW wire is 1.2mm
    (0.047")
    5356

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  • From Richard Smith@21:1/5 to All on Sat Aug 28 10:06:17 2021
    Hi again - what I'm finding on 6000-series alloys (typically
    extrusions) is that as soon as you get into a real spray arc the arc
    gets feisty - vivid colours, spitting and rasping, and if welding
    6000-series to 5083, kicks sideways off the 6000-series onto the
    5000-series.
    Oh yes - and huge condensations of black powder around the welds
    ??
    If you are in a lower power condition so you see Al depositing almost
    like a stack-of-dimes, even if 5000-series to 6000-series, calm arc,
    no misbehaviour and shiny silver welds metal and little condesation /
    sooting around the weld. But - not much fusing power and you can be
    left with re-entrant weld toes which look excessively like you are
    risking cold laps.
    ??

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  • From Richard Smith@21:1/5 to Richard Smith on Thu Sep 9 05:12:06 2021
    Richard Smith <[email protected]> writes:

    Hi again - what I'm finding on 6000-series alloys (typically
    extrusions) is that as soon as you get into a real spray arc the arc
    gets feisty - vivid colours, spitting and rasping, and if welding
    6000-series to 5083, kicks sideways off the 6000-series onto the
    5000-series.
    Oh yes - and huge condensations of black powder around the welds
    ??
    If you are in a lower power condition so you see Al depositing almost
    like a stack-of-dimes, even if 5000-series to 6000-series, calm arc,
    no misbehaviour and shiny silver welds metal and little condesation /
    sooting around the weld. But - not much fusing power and you can be
    left with re-entrant weld toes which look excessively like you are
    risking cold laps.
    ??

    For what it's worth - moved on further.
    Getting things behaving well, doing Al-GMAW
    Using 1.2mm wire 5183 wire (Al-Mg-Mn),
    Spray is good - "just" at 10m/min, clean at around 12.4m/min and
    smoothly in it goes for long runs at 15m/min.
    Less than 10m/min - pulse. Totally sweet. 5000-series to 6000-series
    no problem. Come a long way. Trust the synergic in pulse - easily
    going from 5m/min to 8m/min for different thickness combinations and
    joint geometries.
    Getting into happy space.
    This is talking about good industrial machines in a high-end metal
    fabrications shop, by the way...

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  • From Jim Wilkins@21:1/5 to Richard Smith on Thu Sep 9 06:31:25 2021
    "Richard Smith" wrote in message news:[email protected]...
    ...
    Oh yes - and huge condensations of black powder around the welds
    ??

    ------------

    The black powder may be oxidized alloying elements. A quick test is to heat
    it in the reducing portion of a propane flame. Copper oxide will revert to
    the colored metal.

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