Weldability

The American Welding Society defines weldability as, “the capacity of a metal to be welded
under the fabrication conditions imposed into a specific, suitably designed structure and to
perform satisfactorily in the intended service.” When nearly any process can be used on a
metal and minimal effort is necessary to produce a sound weld, the metal is said to have
“good weldability.” In cases where a welder can choose from only a limited number of
processes and must carefully prepare the joint and execute the welding procedure to create
a strong weld, the metal is considered to have “poor weldability.”

One of the main objectives in welding is to create a joint that is free of cracks and that can
withstand the stresses placed on it. As you discover in your welding classes,
some processes work better with certain metals.

What Are the Factors Affecting Weldability?

Several factors influence the weldability of metals. Below are some of the most
important ones.

 Metallurgy: The science of heating or manipulating metals to produce desired

properties or shapes in them. 5
 Welding Process: There are more than 67 welding processes. Various factors
set them apart: how the heat and pressure are applied, how much heat and
pressure are used, and the type of equipment employed. 6
 Joint Design: The combination of the dimensions required for the welded joint
and the geometry of the joint. 7
 Weld Preparation: As the name suggests, weld preparation is a set of
techniques to execute prior to welding to prevent defects in the weld. 8 For
example, one practice is to clean base metals before welding. 9
 Melting Point: The temperature that must be reached for a solid substance to
melt or fuse. 10 When a metal has a medium melting point, it has better
weldability. 11
 Electrical Resistance: A metal’s opposition, or resistance, to the flow of
electrical current. 12 Metals with a high electrical resistance require more heat
energy to weld and this makes them have poor weldability. 13