ER5183 Aluminum Welding Wire

How to optimize the MIG welding process parameters of ER5183 welding wire?

1. Matching of welding current and voltage

Current (wire feeding speed):
ER5183 is an aluminum-magnesium alloy welding wire. Pulse MIG (AC) or conventional DC reverse connection (DCEP) is recommended. The current range is usually 120~300A (adjusted according to the plate thickness).
Thin plate (1~3mm): low current (120~180A) to avoid burn-through.
Medium and thick plate (4~12mm): medium and high current (200~300A) to ensure penetration.
Voltage: needs to be adjusted in coordination with current to avoid spatter or unfusion:
Typical range 18~24V. Too high voltage can easily lead to wide and shallow welds, while too low voltage will lead to insufficient penetration.
Optimization method: Adjust to uniform weld formation and no undercut through trial welding + macroscopic metallographic detection.

2. Shielding gas selection and flow

Gas type:
Pure argon (Ar): suitable for thin plates, stable arc, less spatter.
Argon-helium mixture (Ar+30~50% He): used for medium and thick plates to increase heat input and penetration.

Gas flow:
15~25 L/min, too low flow can easily lead to pores, too high flow may disrupt the arc.
Note: Ensure that the gas purity is ≥99.99% to avoid moisture and impurities (such as N₂, O₂) causing pores.

3. Wire feeding speed and welding gun angle

Wire feeding speed: positively correlated with current, usually 5~12 m/min, needs to match the dynamic response of the welding machine.

Welding gun angle:
Push welding method (10°~15° inclination): recommended for aluminum welding to reduce the risk of pores.
Keep a short arc length (1~3mm) to avoid magnesium burnout.

4. Preparation and post-processing before welding

Cleaning: Use a stainless steel brush or acetone to remove the oxide film (Al₂O₃) on the surface of the base material and welding wire.
Preheating: Thick plates (>6mm) can be preheated to 80~120℃ to reduce thermal stress.
Interlayer temperature control: ≤150℃ to avoid intergranular corrosion.

5. Process verification method

Macroscopic inspection: Observe whether the weld section is fully melted and defect-free.
Mechanical test: Tensile/bending test to verify joint strength (ER5183 weld strength is usually ≥275MPa).
X-ray flaw detection: Detect internal pores or cracks.