How to Prepare a Metal for Welding?

This is one of the easiest methods of metal preparation. A wire brush is a basic tool used to remove thick impurities on any metal piece. These wire brushes are easily available in most welding facilities because they are used to remove flux from the finished workpiece. Be sure to use specific wire brushes for different metals. For instance, you need to use a steel wire brush to remove impurities from a piece of aluminum.

The sheet can be prepared for TIG or MIG welding using an angle grinder and a flap disc. Any coating existing on a thick sheet can be easily removed using a flap disc. However, this tool is not recommended for thin metal sheets because it may remove lots of other materials. The coating removal is followed by cleaning using acetone. This technique works brilliantly for chassis parts that require heavy welding.

Many welding projects require cutting thick metals in desired angles prior to welding. This can be easily done using a plasma cutter. These cutters may demand a high upfront investment; however, they are beneficial in several ways. Plasma cutters help you save on fuel costs, preheating times, as well as make fast cuts on thick metals with small kerfs. These cutters are an ideal choice in welding facilities that want to save on their material costs as well as employee times.

If the metal sheet is rusty, and cannot be cleaned with any of the above-discussed methods then it is perfect to pursue abrasive blasting. This technique helps remove impurities from the metal, after which it needs to be cleaned using acetone to remove the leftover chemical contaminants. One of the main challenges faced by this type of metal preparation is that an abrasive surface may trap pieces of metal, which may later initiate corrosion of the metal part. Thus, it is always recommended to avoid this cleaning method for aluminum because it is sensitive to contaminants that may remain over the metal sheet even after cleaning it with acetone.