Successful welding aluminum in a high production automotive environment is still a very challenging proposition. Major areas requiring attention include arc starting and feeding difficulty, degradation of weld joint, heat affected zone and greater presence of weld discontinuities. Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is the most popular process today for welding structural components but alternative processes such as friction stir welding, friction welding and magnetically impelled arc butt welding offer opportunities for improved performance in the future.