GMAW · Aluminum
ER4043
The forgiving general purpose aluminium filler, whose silicon content lowers the melting range and makes the puddle fluid enough to resist cracking on extrusions and castings.
What the designation means
Point at any character to see what it claims. The classification is a sentence written in fields, not a product name.
- ERClassified as both an electrode for wire feed welding and a filler rod for torch welding.
- 4The first digit places the alloy in the aluminium-silicon family, where silicon is the principal alloying addition.
- 043The remaining digits identify the specific registered alloy in that family, a roughly 5 percent silicon composition.
At a glance
- Process
- GMAW
- Family
- Aluminum
- Positions
- All positions with pulsed transfer; spray transfer is best kept flat and horizontal
- Polarity
- DCEP for wire feed welding; alternating current with a balanced wave when torch welded
- Shielding
- Welding grade argon, or an argon-helium blend on thicker sections for extra heat
- Minimum tensile
- 27ksi
Typical uses
- Welding 6061 and other 6000 series extrusions
- Repair and joining of cast aluminium components
- General aluminium fabrication where crack resistance matters more than strength
How it runs
- Fluid, low melting puddle that wets out easily and is tolerant of technique
- Less crack sensitive than the magnesium filler on 6000 series base metal
- Deposit is lower in strength and ductility than the magnesium alloy filler
- Turns dark after anodising, so it is a poor choice where colour match matters
Storage and handling
Keep aluminium filler sealed and dry, and handle rods with clean gloves; surface oxide and moisture are the main sources of weld porosity.
Compare with
GMAWER5356The higher strength aluminium filler, chosen for marine and structural work on 5000 series base metal and wherever the joint must match colour after anodising.GTAWERTi-2An unalloyed titanium rod for chemical and aerospace work, demanding far more shielding discipline than steel because hot titanium absorbs air greedily.GTAWERNiCr-3A nickel-chromium rod used for nickel alloy base metals, dissimilar joints, and overlay, where its niobium addition resists cracking through heavy dilution.