Can Monel be welded?

Welding Metal Monel, in addition to its corrosion resistance, is also known for its good weldability; it is easily welded by most conventional processes to join itself or other alloys. It's very strong - much stronger than steel, in fact. The ability to easily weld Monel is a key factor in its use in applications such as chemical processing equipment, marine components, and more.

Monel alloys are usually welded by gas tungsten arc welding, gas metal arc welding and submerged arc welding. In these cases, Monel 60 filler metal is sometimes used, which offers the same high strength and corrosion resistance as Monel. Since Monel alloys come in different compositions (which we will cover in the next installment of this three-part series), the specific properties and uses of the filler depend on the Monel alloy used. The most popular and demanded grade of Monel is Monel 400. Monel 400 has equal proportions of nickel and copper and occurs naturally in nickel ore from some mines.

In addition to welding, Monel can also be brazed and soldered. Monel can be used in different forms and shapes, from wires to flat sheets, fittings and tubes. Interestingly, due to Monel's corrosion resistance and weldability, it has become the metal of choice not only for obvious applications such as chemical and marine equipment, but also for many common but surprising products. It was used as military dog tags in World War I and II, on the roof of New York City's original Pennsylvania Station, and as part of the Aeon Clock currently under construction and designed to run for ten thousand years.