In the industry, the ease of joining metals or weld ability is everything. Metals with high weld ability are easier to weld and retain a higher quality of welding than other metals, so it is important to know the characteristics of different metals when choosing the materials for a project to be carried out.
Let’s see what metal is used in welding.
What are the metals that can be welded?
Weld ability is the ability of materials, of the same or different nature, to be permanently attached by welding processes.
Although as a rule all metals can be welded, each welding metals is unique, with well-defined characteristics, with its own advantages and disadvantages.
The criteria that determine the weld ability of a metal include electrode material, cooling rate, shielding gases and welding speed.
Metals that can be welded
- Steels
- Stainless steels.
- Aluminum and its alloys
- Nickel and its alloys
- Copper and its alloys
- Titanium and its alloys
- Molten iron
Metals used in welding have the characteristic that when they are heated they expand and soften and thanks to this you can use them in different applications.
The fact that metals and different alloys can be welded and handled depends directly on their electrical resistance; therefore a good welding depends on the materials we have used in it.
Classification of metals when welding
Metals with high electrical resistance and low electrical conductivity
They are metals that can be welded with small intensities and high current times, for example steel. This is the most wield able and most used metal throughout the history of welding.
Metals with low resistance and high electrical conductivity
They are welded at high intensities and short current times, for example aluminum, copper and their alloys
Metallic
They are those in which its main component is iron. They are characterized by having a great resistance to tension and hardness
Steel
It contains iron as a base element. This is a very malleable, resistant and versatile metal and is a great conductor of heat and electricity that can be used in any welding process.
Carbon and steel combinations are common. Higher carbon content makes steel stronger and more temper able and its ability to be welded will be lower since weld ability is inversely proportional to harden ability.
Steel tends to oxidize so it is important to keep the weld clean and free of scales. High strength steels are the best for welding processes
It is the product obtained from the first fusion of iron in blast furnaces. It contains large amounts of carbon and silicon and breaks easily.
Cast iron is difficult to weld but not impossible. When welding it, avoid any trace of oil or grease as it would make the job difficult.
Welding it is a difficult and expensive task since it requires a very high temperature and has to be preheated with an oxyacetylene torch; otherwise it becomes unstable and difficult to work.
