Which Metals are Recommended for Welding?

Welding is a highly-complex process that involves a load of chemistry and mechanical engineering. It is important to apply all the necessary steps and tools to ensure great results. Not only should your welding look good, it should perform well and stand the test of time. For these reasons and more, you must use the proper metal to weld your masterpiece together. Continue reading to learn which metals are most recommended for welding applications.

Indianapolis Metal Recycling Center 317-244-0700
Indianapolis Metal Recycling Center 317-244-0700

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is a top contender for welding applications. It is highly resistant to corrosion, tarnishing, and rust. The most common uses for stainless steel include food handling and processing, surgical instruments, medical devices, aircrafts, appliances, hardware, and more. Stainless steel usually contains anywhere from 15% to 30% alloy content. The common alloying ingredient in stainless steel is chromium, but nickel, copper, manganese, iron, and molybdenum are also used. Additionally, stainless steel comes in three groups based on crystalline structure: ferritic, austenitic, and martensitic. Ferritic and austenitic stainless steel grades are more suitable for welding, while martensitic stainless steel can prove to be more of a challenge.

Low Carbon Mild Steel

Low carbon steel, also known as “mild steel”, is considered to be the best metal option for welding applications. Containing an average of 0.04% to 0.30% carbon content, it is primarily used in the construction and building industry, and comes it a wide variety of shapes, from flat sheet to structural beam. The number of added alloys can be altered and adjusted to make low carbon steel better suited for certain applications. For example, Drawing Quality (DQ) steel has less carbon and more aluminum, while structural beam steel has more carbon and more manganese.

Aluminum

Aluminum is not as easy to weld as low carbon steel, but it is still workable. Found on the periodic table with the symbol “Al” and atomic number 13, aluminum has a silvery white finish, and mostly admired for its magnetic and ductile (good heat conductivity) properties. This makes aluminum a ferrous metal, meaning it contains iron. Compared to stainless steel, aluminum has higher oxidation and corrosion resistance properties, and is very light in weight. The most well-known use for aluminum is food and soda cans. But aside from canned goods, aluminum is also widely used in the automaker and aerospace industry for its ductile, corrosion-resistant qualities and more.

Other Possible Options:

Titanium – To weld titanium safely, you will need additional equipment, including shielding to prevent the metal from oxidizing.

High-Carbon Steel – To confidently weld high-carbon steel, you will need preheating and post-welding heat treatments to prevent cracks.

Super Alloys – Most super alloys can only have successful welding results if done in a vacuum.

Recycle Your Leftover Scrap Metal

You can support Earth’s sustainability by recycling metal as often as you can. Not only is this great for the environment since it reduces the need to mine for new ores, it stimulates our economy by proving jobs. Additionally, metal recycling can put cash straight into your wallet. You see, many local metal recycling centers pay cash on the spot for scrap metal.

Indianapolis Metal Recycling Services

Call Zore’s Recycling at 317-244-0700 to get started with profitable metal recycling services in Indianapolis, Indiana. Not only has Zore’s Inc. been a family owned and operated company for over 75 years, we pay cash on the spot for your metal commodities. We accept cans, sheet metal, appliances, vehicles, auto parts, equipment, and more! Request a free estimate, today.