Welding Tips and Tricks

I am a pipe welder at an oil refinery and I have my certs in carbon steel, Stainless steel, 5 & 9 chrome. I want to get my aluminum cert, but I don't know anybody that has it and can teach me. I've been practicing a little and have been having trouble getting penetration on the root (especially on the bottom). Does anyone know what size/material pipe and filler metal to use, prep base metal (cleaning, bevel angle, fit-up gap, etc.), machine settings (AC balance, pulse frequency, etc.)? This is the most frustrating type of metal I ever worked with, so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much for your time.

What standard do you have to certify to? it's under API standards, I would assume, but if you can cite chapter and verse, I'm sure we can find it and offer more targeted advice.

Welcome to the neighborhood.

Steve S

ASME B31.3 Process Piping

Piping typically found in petroleum refineries, chemical, pharmaceutical, textile, per, semiconductor and cryogenic plants and related processing plants and terminals.

I copied and pasted this from a website I was on. Is this what you were referring to as far as chapter and verse? Thank you for replying so quickly.

Yep.

If it's ASME, rather than API, I can probably dig up info for you. The procedure and test will fall under ASME section IX, and I have a recent copy.

I weld to ASME B31.1 and 31.3, but have never tested on aluminum.

Steve S

Thank you

Crap.

ASME IX is on my other computer. I'll be able to review it either late tonight or sometime tomorrow.

That does not preclude a prompt answer from another member in the meantime.

Steve S

No problem thanks

Well, that was an interesting realization.

I looked through Appendix "E", where all the pre-approved procedures are listed, and not one of them included aluminum, by any method.

More reading. I need to refresh, anyway, as we're about to have to qualify for our "R" stamp as the new company.

Steve S

Cool, we don't have our "R" stamp so we contract everything out that needs code welding and there's only 1 company in Hawaii with their "R" stamp so can you imagine how expensive they are. I just want to get my aluminum cert in case there are any shop welds then we don't have to pay that company to weld non-code stuff.

There is a company right down the street from me that claims to have the only 6Gr certified aluminum weldor in the state of Georgia. They claim this right on their home page.
You could try contacting them to see if you can pick that guy's brain.

http://www.wilsonweldingservice.com/index.php

It's worth a shot.

RamboBaby wrote:There is a company right down the street from me that claims to have the only 6Gr certified aluminum weldor in the state of Georgia. They claim this right on their home page.
You could try contacting them to see if you can pick that guy's brain.

http://www.wilsonweldingservice.com/index.php

It's worth a shot.

Thanks, I will give them a call and see if they can help!

Thanks Rambobaby I'll give them a call