Pillar guide
56
dissimilar pairs with lab schedules
33
materials in the lab database
No filler
no flux, no solder
Free
applications tests of your materials
Slow motion: 22 AWG bare copper wire percussion welded to a 0.100" thick aluminum lid.
Dissimilar metals
The melting-point gap
Joining metals that melt at very different temperatures is where conventional welding struggles. Choose two metals to see the gap.
Melting points are handbook values for the pure metals, rounded. Alloys melt over a range and differ from the pure metal.
Lab data
Every material pair we have tested
33 materials, 68 pairs, 131 lab schedules. Hover or tap a material to see what it has been welded to.
Explore
Copper, nickel, tungsten and aluminum have the most lab schedules. Select any material to light up the pairs it has been welded to.
Each line is at least one lab schedule. Schedules are starting points, not guarantees: validate on your own parts.
Chapter 01 / 07
What dissimilar metal welding is
Dissimilar metal welding joins two different metals: copper to aluminum, copper to stainless steel, nickel to tungsten and thousands of other combinations. It matters wherever one part needs the properties of one metal and its neighbour needs another, such as a copper conductor that must connect to an aluminum or steel part.
Percussion Welder has joined dissimilar metals since 1990. Our lab database holds 131 schedules covering 33 materials and 56 dissimilar pairs.
Chapter 02 / 07
Why dissimilar metals are hard to weld
Three physical differences make most combinations difficult:
- Melting points far apart. A process that melts both metals has to heat the lower-melting one far past its own melting point to bring the other up to temperature. Try the gap calculator below.
- Different heat flow. Metals conduct heat at very different rates. Copper and aluminum carry heat away quickly, stainless steel holds it, so the heat spreads unevenly into the parts.
- Surface chemistry. Oxide layers, such as the one on aluminum, have to be removed or broken for the metals to bond.
- Brittle layers in some pairs. Some combinations can form brittle intermetallic layers or weak bond zones when they are heated and melted together.
Dissimilar joints can also raise corrosion considerations in service. Validate for your own environment.
Want to see it on your parts?
Send samples and we'll run test welds before you commit.
Gallery
Dissimilar metals on the bench
Different metals, joined directly.
Chapter 03 / 07
How percussion welding joins them
Percussion welding creates a micro arc that provides the heat, then a rapid mechanical movement forces the materials together. The surfaces become molten and are thrust together in the percussive phase, creating a full bond between them. Within milliseconds, the two materials are welded together without using any filler material.
- No filler, flux or solder. The two base metals are joined directly.
- Minimal heat-affected zone. Heating lasts only milliseconds, so there is little time for heat to spread into the material around the joint. See the heat spread calculator.
- Strong, clean welds. The welds resist shock and vibration.
- Repeatable. The 858 Percussion Welder, the Percussion Weld Monitor and the 726 Bench Fixture are designed to make the process consistent.
See it step by step on how it works.
Chapter 04 / 07
What we have tested
These are the dissimilar pairs with the most lab schedules (starting points, not guarantees). The full set is in the weld schedules table, and every pair opens in the Parameter Finder.
| Material pair | Lab schedules | Wire sizes tested |
|---|---|---|
| Copper to Nickel | 6 | .018", .025", .032", .040" |
| Aluminum to Copper | 5 | .010", .020", .025", .030", .040" |
| Brass to Copper | 5 | .015", .020", .025", .032" |
| Copper to Dumet | 5 | .010", .020", .025", .030" |
| Copper to Tungsten | 5 | .015", .020", .030", .050", .063" |
| Nickel to Tantalum | 5 | .012", .013", .018", .019", .025" |
| Brass to Nickel | 4 | .010", .020", .030", .040" |
| Copper to Platinum | 4 | .010", .014", .025", .032" |
| Niobium to Tungsten | 4 | .025", .026", .030", .040" |
| Copper to Molybdenum | 3 | .018", .030", .050" |
| Copper to Paliney | 3 | .014", .025", .032" |
| Copper to Tantalum | 3 | .007", .016", .030" |
Pair guides: Niobium to Tungsten · Tantalum to Copper · Copper to Platinum · Nickel to Steel · Stainless Steel to Copper · Copper to Tungsten · Aluminum to Steel · Nickel to Copper · Copper to Steel · Copper to Aluminum · how long does it take to learn percussion · percussion welding certification pathway to skilled
Chapter 05 / 07
Preparing the surfaces
Clean and degrease both materials and remove oxides, oils and contamination from the weld area. Notes by material, such as removing the oxide layer on aluminum or clearing tarnish from copper until bright metal shows, are in the material compatibility checker.
Want to see it on your parts?
Send samples and we'll run test welds before you commit.
Chapter 06 / 07
Compare with other processes
- Laser welding vs percussion welding for dissimilar metals
- Percussion welding vs resistance welding for dissimilar metals
- How to weld dissimilar metals: an engineer's overview
- Percussion welding of dissimilar metals: how it works
The Dissimilar Thinking series: #1 Common Assumptions About Welding Dissimilar Metals · #2 The Material Compatibility Matrix · #3 Inside the Arc – The Physics of Percussion Welding · #4 Application Engineering – Industry Notes on Percussion Welding · #5 Process Optimization and Production Scale-Up
Chapter 07 / 07
Test your own pair
Check your two materials in the material compatibility checker and get starting settings from the Parameter Finder. If your pair is new to us, send samples: free applications tests of your materials are available, and we can run live, in-person tests at our lab at 7100 N Broadway in Denver. Call 303-536-7838 or tell us your weld challenge.
FAQ
What is dissimilar metal welding?
Joining two different metals, for example copper to aluminum, copper to stainless steel or nickel to tungsten. The metals differ in melting point, heat flow and surface chemistry, which is what makes the joint hard to make with conventional welding.
Can copper be welded to aluminum?
Yes. Our lab has 5 schedules for copper and aluminum, in wire sizes .010", .020", .025", .030", .040".
Settings are starting points; validate on your own parts.
Does dissimilar metal welding need filler metal?
Not with percussion welding. It joins the two base metals directly, with no filler, solder or flux, and with a minimal heat-affected zone.
Why is it hard to weld metals with very different melting points?
A melt-based process has to heat both metals together. When one melts far below the other, it can overheat or burn away before the other metal is ready, and the heat spreads into the surrounding material while it waits. Percussion welding heats for milliseconds, so there is very little time for that to happen.
My pair is not in your data. Can you still help?
Yes. Send samples and we will develop and verify a schedule. Free applications tests of your materials are available, and we can run live, in-person tests at our lab in Denver.
How do I know whether my pair will work?
Check it in the material compatibility checker, then confirm with a test weld and a pull test on your own parts. Lab settings are starting points, not guarantees.
Still have a question? Tell us your weld challenge and an engineer will reply.
Start here
Send the two materials and the wire or part size. Free applications tests of your materials are available.
Prefer to talk? Book a demo or call 303-536-7838