The Lincoln AlumaFab Aluminum MIG Welding System (available as K6013-1 Air-Cooled Package and K6014-1 Water-Cooled Package) is Lincoln Electric's purpose-built industrial aluminum MIG system — an integrated power source and push-pull feeder engineered specifically for pulsed MIG (GMAW-P) welding on aluminum alloys, where arc stability, wire feeding consistency, and shielding gas coverage are critical factors that general-purpose MIG machines cannot reliably address. The AlumaFab is the industrial benchmark for structural aluminum fabrication, marine, aerospace, and transportation manufacturing operations that weld aluminum alloys daily at production volumes.
- Purpose-built aluminum MIG — pulsed GMAW-P with waveform control. The AlumaFab's power source uses Lincoln's advanced pulsed MIG waveform technology — independently controlling peak current, background current, pulse frequency, and pulse width for each aluminum wire alloy and diameter. Pulsed MIG on aluminum eliminates the spatter and lack-of-fusion issues that plague conventional short-circuit MIG on aluminum, especially on 5052 and 5083 marine alloy where heat sensitivity is highest. The result: X-ray quality welds at production speeds on 1/8" through 1/2" aluminum plate without post-weld cleanup.
- 300 A / 100% duty cycle — continuous production welding on aluminum. The AlumaFab is rated 300 A / 29 V / 100% duty cycle and 350 A / 31.5 V / 60% duty cycle. For production aluminum welding on marine superstructures, trailer frames, and transportation aluminum where extended bead runs require sustained output, the 300 A / 100% rating sustains uninterrupted welding without thermal shutdowns — critical for aluminum, where stop-and-restart weld defects (cracking at weld starts and stops) are particularly difficult to repair.
- Integrated push-pull wire feeder — consistent aluminum wire feeding at any distance. The AlumaFab's push-pull design uses a synchronized pull motor at the gun and push motor at the cabinet to maintain consistent wire tension across the full 25 ft cable length with soft 5356 and 4043 aluminum wire. Push-pull is the industry-standard method for aluminum MIG over distances beyond 6–8 ft — where standard push-only drives produce inconsistent wire feed, birdnesting, and burnback that contaminate aluminum welds and reduce productivity.
- 425 A maximum output — covers heavy aluminum plate and structural sections. The AlumaFab maximum output reaches 425 A, enabling spray transfer MIG on 3/4" and thicker 6061 aluminum plate with 3/64" ER5356 wire on 75/25 Ar/He shielding. At 400+ A, globular and spray transfer on large-diameter aluminum wire provides high deposition rates for structural joints in aluminum shipbuilding, rail car fabrication, and aluminum pressure vessel manufacturing.
- Three-phase input — 460 V and 575 V. The AlumaFab operates on 460/575 V, 3-phase power — the standard industrial voltage in automotive assembly, marine manufacturing, and aerospace maintenance facilities. Three-phase input ensures balanced power draw and consistent voltage regulation under high-amperage continuous pulsed MIG loads. The 460/575 V dual-voltage configuration supports both standard and high-voltage industrial distribution without internal rewiring.
- Three-year Lincoln Electric warranty. Full factory warranty on the AlumaFab K6013-1 and K6014-1 power source and integrated push-pull feeder.
| Models | K6013-1 (Air-Cooled Package) | K6014-1 (Water-Cooled Package) |
| Processes | Pulsed MIG (GMAW-P), MIG (GMAW) — aluminum-optimized |
| Input Voltage | 460/575 V, 3-Phase, 60 Hz |
| Output Range | 5–425 A DC |
| Rated Output (60% duty cycle) | 350 A / 31.5 V |
| Rated Output (100% duty cycle) | 300 A / 29 V |
| Welding Mode | Pulsed CV / CV (aluminum-optimized waveform control) |
| Wire Feed System | Push-pull integrated — synchronized push motor (cabinet) + pull motor (gun) |
| Wire Diameter | .035"–1/16" (0.9–1.6 mm) aluminum wire (ER4043, ER5356) |
| Wire Feed Speed | 50–800 IPM |
| Phase | Three-phase |
| Cooling (K6013-1) | Air-cooled gun package |
| Cooling (K6014-1) | Water-cooled gun package |
| Weight | Approx. 330 lbs (K6013-1 air-cooled system) |
| Warranty | 3 Years (Lincoln Electric factory) |
| Condition | New — Lincoln Electric K-prefix (factory-new) |
- AlumaFab Power Source
- Integrated push-pull wire feeder cabinet
- Push-pull gun assembly — air-cooled (K6013-1) or water-cooled (K6014-1)
- 25 ft interconnecting cable assembly
- Work cable and clamp
- Drive rolls for .035" and 3/64" aluminum wire (installed)
- Operator's Manual
- Note: Shielding gas (100% Ar or 75/25 Ar/He), gas regulator, and water cooler (K6014-1 only) sold separately.
The AlumaFab's push-pull system and 3-phase industrial design support dedicated aluminum MIG accessories:
- MIG Welding Cables & Power Pins — AlumaFab-specific interconnecting cable assemblies (25 ft and 35 ft) for extended-reach production aluminum MIG; replacement pull-motor gun cables; power pins and quick-connect adapters for the AlumaFab push-pull interface.
- MIG Contact Tips — Aluminum-specific contact tips in .035", 3/64" and 1/16" for ER4043 and ER5356 wire; copper-alloy and silver-alloy tip materials optimized for aluminum wire feeding at 300–400 A; extended-reach tips for aluminum gun body configurations with recessed nozzle designs.
- MIG Welding Guns — AlumaFab-compatible push-pull air-cooled and water-cooled gun bodies; straight and curved neck aluminum-specific bodies for marine and transportation aluminum joint access; push-pull swanneck bodies for automated and robotic aluminum MIG cell configurations.
- MIG Welding Wire — Lincoln SuperGlaze ER4043 .035" and 3/64" for general-purpose 6061 and 6063 aluminum MIG with minimum porosity and excellent flow; Lincoln SuperGlaze ER5356 .035" and 3/64" for 5052, 5083, and 5456 marine aluminum alloys requiring higher tensile strength and fatigue resistance; SuperGlaze ER5183 for 5083 marine structural applications per DNV and ABS rules.
- Wire Feeders — The AlumaFab includes an integrated push-pull feeder. For multi-station aluminum MIG cells, the AlumaFab power source can drive auxiliary push-pull feeder stations via the machine's interconnect interface for synchronized multi-gun production welding.
- Welding Gas Regulators — 100% Ar CGA-580 dual-stage high-flow regulators for standard aluminum pulsed MIG; 75/25 Ar/He blend regulators for spray transfer on thick aluminum plate at 300+ A; high-flow dual-stage regulators rated to 150 CFH for production environments where single-stage units experience freeze-out at high wire speed settings.
The AlumaFab's pulsed GMAW-P capability, 300 A / 100% duty cycle, and push-pull wire feeding make it the purpose-built system for industrial aluminum MIG across demanding applications:
- Automotive bodywork — aluminum body panels and chassis components. High-strength aluminum alloy body panels (5052-H32, 6022-T4) require pulsed MIG at 80–150 A with ER4043 .035" wire to minimize heat input, distortion, and HAZ softening. The AlumaFab's waveform control holds the pulsed arc stable at low amperages on thin-gauge aluminum — producing the low-heat, low-spatter welds required for Class A automotive surface quality. For aluminum crash structures, bumper beams, and door intrusion bars in 6061-T6, the AlumaFab handles full spray transfer at 200–300 A without the arc instability issues that limit general-purpose MIG machines on aluminum.
- Light fabrication — aluminum frames, enclosures, and architectural metalwork. For job shops fabricating aluminum ladder frames, equipment enclosures, sign structures, and architectural railings in 6061 and 6063, the AlumaFab's push-pull drive provides consistent wire feeding at low amperages (50–150 A) on .035" ER4043 that push-only drives cannot reliably achieve over 15 ft cable lengths. The 5–425 A output range covers the full spectrum from thin 0.060" extrusion welding to 1/2" structural plate connections.
- Structural aluminum — marine superstructures and transportation. For marine fabrication shops welding 5083 and 5456 aluminum alloy superstructures, pilothouse panels, and hull sections, the AlumaFab's 350 A / 60% and 300 A / 100% ratings sustain production output at the weld sizes required for DNV and ABS class approvals. 3/64" ER5183 wire at 240–320 A / 75/25 Ar/He provides spray transfer with the HAZ toughness properties required for structural marine joints — where crack initiation at weld toes under cyclic loading is the primary failure mode.
- Sheet metal — HVAC and food equipment in aluminum. For HVAC aluminum ductwork, food processing equipment in 3003 and 5052 aluminum, and pharmaceutical equipment in 6061, the AlumaFab's low-amperage pulsed MIG capability (20–100 A) produces fusion welds on 0.062"–0.125" aluminum sheet with heat input control comparable to TIG, but at 3–5x the travel speed. Sanitary aluminum MIG welds without sharp notches or incomplete fusion meet FDA and 3-A Sanitary Standards for food-zone equipment — a significant quality advantage over conventional short-circuit aluminum MIG.
- Aluminum MIG applications — aerospace and defense. Aerospace ground support equipment, aircraft maintenance stands, and avionics enclosures in 6061-T6 and 7075-T6 require controlled heat input pulsed MIG with ER4043 (for 6061) or ER5356 (for 6061 with higher strength requirements) at tight weld parameter tolerances. The AlumaFab's waveform control enables compliance with AWS D1.2 structural aluminum and AMS 2680 aerospace MIG process specifications, where parameter documentation and arc consistency are mandatory for weld procedure qualification.
The AlumaFab output range is 5–425 A, with welding voltage ranging from approximately 14 V at minimum output to 38 V at maximum output. Rated output at 100% duty cycle is 300 A / 29 V. In pulsed MIG mode, the machine automatically adjusts peak and background voltage waveforms for each pulse — the operator sets wire feed speed and the AlumaFab's synergic control calculates the correct pulsed voltage waveform for the selected wire alloy, diameter, and shielding gas combination.
The AlumaFab system is designed for .035" (0.9 mm) and 3/64" (1.2 mm) aluminum wire — the two most common diameters for structural aluminum pulsed MIG welding. It also supports 1/16" (1.6 mm) large-diameter aluminum wire for high-deposition heavy-plate applications at maximum output. Per the Lincoln Electric AlumaFab product page, compatible alloys include ER4043 (for 6xxx series aluminum), ER5356 (for 5xxx series marine alloys), and ER5183 (for 5083 structural marine applications).
Three-phase only — the AlumaFab K6013-1 and K6014-1 require 460/575 V, 3-phase, 60 Hz input. The system is not compatible with single-phase power. For single-phase aluminum MIG applications, the Lincoln POWER MIG 220 AC/DC (K5379-1) with Magnum PRO 100SG spool gun provides aluminum MIG capability on 120/230 V single-phase for lighter applications up to 230 A.
The AlumaFab is rated 300 A / 29 V / 100% duty cycle and 350 A / 31.5 V / 60% duty cycle. Maximum output is 425 A. For aluminum structural production welding at 200–300 A on 1/8"–1/2" plate, the 100% duty cycle at 300 A enables continuous uninterrupted production welding — eliminating the weld restart defects (cracking at weld starts on aluminum) that result from forced cool-down interruptions on lower-rated machines.
The AlumaFab uses an integrated push-pull wire feeding system — not a spool gun. Push-pull is the industrial-standard method for aluminum MIG over distances exceeding 6–8 ft, providing consistent wire tension and feeding reliability that spool guns (which carry a 1 lb mini-spool at the gun) cannot match for production applications requiring 15 lb or 30 lb bulk aluminum wire spools. The AlumaFab's push motor (in the cabinet) and pull motor (in the gun) are electronically synchronized for consistent wire speed and arc stability throughout the full 25 ft cable length.