Welding Tips and Tricks

Other than the etching provided by the cleaning action of A/C, is a visable HAZ produced after TIG welding aluminum?

No

dynasty200sd wrote:Other than the etching provided by the cleaning action of A/C, is a visable HAZ produced after TIG welding aluminum?

To elaborate on other answers, textbook evidence indicates that it might not be visible, but a Heat Affected Zone can certainly exist. The heat produced by the welding process can anneal or otherwise affect the local area adjacent to the weld. This is definitely referred to as HAZ. The HAZ is not necessarily at the surface of the adjacent area, it usually exists in the zone between the weld pool and the parent metal. The tensile strength will be lower at the weld and will increase non-linearly as the distance from the weld increases.

The superficial cleaning effect from the AC that you mentioned is probably not strongly related (if at all) to the HAZ

Finally, proper Heat Treatment after the welding process can reduce the impact of the HAZ properties.

Hope this helps

This is why I wanted to check with others because I knew Aluminum does not produce a HAZ that is visable. I know that a heat affected zone exist even with it not being visible on Aluminum. On another forum, a person was trying to claim he could see a HAZ, so that's how he knew a piece of Aluminum had been welded because he said he could see it because of the anodizing (no bead was visible being the possible weld area looked to be ground smooth . I explained that he was seeing etching from the cleaning action from the positive polarity. Which he got all hissy-pissy in his response.

dynasty200sd wrote:This is why I wanted to check with others because I knew Aluminum does not produce a HAZ that is visable. I know that a heat affected zone exist even with it not being visible on Aluminum. On another forum, a person was trying to claim he could see a HAZ, so that's how he knew a piece of Aluminum had been welded because he said he could see it because of the anodizing (no bead was visible being the possible weld area looked to be ground smooth . I explained that he was seeing etching from the cleaning action from the positive polarity. Which he got all hissy-pissy in his response.

Sound like you might have disagreed with him about the nature of God. I seldom debate those types, except for my own amusement (and occasionally the amusement of others).

Once someone like that has "decided" what he's seeing, and preached his belief to others, good luck convincing him otherwise. That's why this forum exists... To discuss things rationally.

Steve S

Otto Nobedder wrote:

dynasty200sd wrote:This is why I wanted to check with others because I knew Aluminum does not produce a HAZ that is visable. I know that a heat affected zone exist even with it not being visible on Aluminum. On another forum, a person was trying to claim he could see a HAZ, so that's how he knew a piece of Aluminum had been welded because he said he could see it because of the anodizing (no bead was visible being the possible weld area looked to be ground smooth . I explained that he was seeing etching from the cleaning action from the positive polarity. Which he got all hissy-pissy in his response.

Sound like you might have disagreed with him about the nature of God. I seldom debate those types, except for my own amusement (and occasionally the amusement of others).

Once someone like that has "decided" what he's seeing, and preached his belief to others, good luck convincing him otherwise. That's why this forum exists... To discuss things rationally.

Steve S

....but it's more fun to bait the buzzards
-Jonathan