The application of concentrated solar energy for the welding of aluminum alloy 7075 was attempted in the present work, by employing the installation of the CNRS Solar Furnace at Odeillo, Pyrenees, southeast France. The characteristics of the solar treated specimens (microstructure, hardness, SEM-EDS analysis) were fully investigated and correlated with thermal numerical results using the finite element method. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.