Filing Aluminum
Filing Aluminum
(OP)
Hi all, can we use files for preparing the aluminum joints if we have to meet x ray quality welds? Can this cause any problem in welding?
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RE: Filing Aluminum
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.
RE: Filing Aluminum
I personally tend to fill up the teeth with chalk in order to prevent aluminum from sticking. Others may have other favorite lubricants, e.g., beeswax, kerosene, whatever.
Any of those materials, not to mention small pieces of the file itself, may be transferred to a workpiece's surface, so the surface should be cleaned before welding.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Filing Aluminum
RE: Filing Aluminum
RE: Filing Aluminum
RE: Filing Aluminum
RE: Filing Aluminum
Whilst a file is perfectly acceptable for edge joint prep on Aluminum. Carbide tipped rotary bevellers like the one linked below are a lot faster and can also get you joints that are X ray quality. You did not say in your original post what you wanted to do, and quite honestly a file while good, is painfully slow, for one off, it is ok , if you are making thousands of parts it is totally unacceptable.
Tell us what you are doing and you will get a better answer.
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.
RE: Filing Aluminum
Part 1. Prepared on lathe machine.
Part 2. Prepared on Lathe machine
Part 3. Prepared by filing.
Part 4. Prepared on Lathe machine.
Now joints are made as follows.
Joint 1 : Part 1 and part 2.
Joint 2: Part 2 and part 3
Joint 3: Part 3 and part 4
All the lack of fusion is in those joints where part 3 ( prepared by filing) is involved. Lots of filing is being done to prepare part 3.
I m investigating on this that perhaps this excessive forceful filing done by fabricator could have embedded the oxide layer so hardly to aluminum making it so difficult to remove with subsequently etching cleaning. (NAOH and Nitric acid). Hence this may cause lack of fusion
RE: Filing Aluminum
First suggestion: get the fabricator a lathe.
Second suggestion: teach him/her how to use a file.
... assuming you can find someone who knows how, to do the teaching. Old German machinists are getting hard to find; they retire and go skiing until they die.
Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA
RE: Filing Aluminum
If you are doing aerospace work , you should have a copy of this Nasa report . If you do not Please accept this one.
In particular look at the table on page 9.
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.
RE: Filing Aluminum
Filing properly done is a shearing action removing metal in thin strips ( filings), There should be no forcing of the oxide layer into the part. Sanding with an Aluminum oxide disc would however do just that. Are you sure your guys are just filing?
B.E.
You are judged not by what you know, but by what you can do.
RE: Filing Aluminum
There is also the paragraph below regarding in-process cleaning of joint surfaces.
RE: Filing Aluminum
RE: Filing Aluminum
RE: Filing Aluminum
RE: Filing Aluminum
I always clean the material and tools before attempting to weld. I clean the surfaces with acetone followed by 90% isopropyl alcohol. I spray the tools with isopropyl to keep the aluminum from clogging the files and carbide burrs.
Best regards - Al