Aluminum, Description: Aluminum

Certain components are manufactured of aluminum.

The aluminum plate is called ALMG3. It contains 3% magnesium to make it rigid enough for use in bodywork.

Aluminum sheet alloyed in this way is one of the nonreturnable alloys and so does not lose its strength when heated or welded.

Its melting point is 630 degrees C (1166°F).

It can be aligned and worked if you are careful.

Working on aluminum sheet requires training 

Welding: 

TIG-welding is the most suitable method for welding aluminum.

MIG welding can be used for minor repairs - for example a spot weld that has come loose, small holes or a crack in the vicinity of edges.

Aligning: 

Try to push out the damage first.

Use a wooden mallet, rubber hammer or light sheet metal hammer.

Use a wooden or hard rubber counterhold.

Where large areas are involved, sheet may "harden" and be very difficult to align any further.

Such areas may have been subject to deformation hardening and therefore must be solution-annealed to restore their original characteristics.

Solution annealing: 

The deformation hardened area should be heated to 350 degrees C (662°F) with a cutting burner on low flame.

The temperature can be checked with a digital temperature gauge, thermostat or a piece of wood run over the sheet.

If the piece of wood leaves a faint brown mark, the temperature is approximately 350 °C (662°F).

Let the sheet cool and start straightening.

Solution annealing can be repeated until straightening work is complete.

Shrinking: 

Shrinking is done with gas flame or carbon rod.

The method is the same as for normal body panels.

The gas flame should therefore be applied to the sheet in the same way as for body panels but then be removed when the aluminum starts to rise: Cool quickly with a wet cloth.

Repeat until normal sheet tension is obtained.

Filing and grinding: 

If using a body file, be very careful, as aluminum sheet is very soft and the file can cut in very quickly.

It is preferable to use a grinding block with 60 grade paper.

When circle grinding use a low speed machine (1200 rpm) with grinding disc and 80 grade paper.

Base filling: 

Filling can be done with solder or plastic filler.

If filling with solder, use only ordinary body solder not solder paste.

Solder by rubbing the warmed flux onto the ground aluminum plate.

Use a soldering torch and normal steel wire brush.

Then continue solder filling normally.

Plastic filling can only be carried out when the plate is ground and clean.

Certain types of filler require the plate to be primed before filling.