What is Spot Welding? Understanding it Thoroughly

Spot welding is applied in dental laboratories for several treatments. The method is used to heat or repair orthodontic materials via electro ... WaterWeldersisreader-supported.Whenyoubuyvialinksonoursite,wemayearnanaffiliatecommissionatnocosttoyou.Learnmore. 0 WhatisSpotWelding?UnderstandingitThoroughly LastUpdatedonJul192022 Spotwelding,alsoknownaselectricalresistancewelding,isrankedamongtheoldestformsofwelding.Weldersconsiderthismethodasthemostefficientprocesstousewhenmergingtwoormoremetalsheets.Thetechniqueinvolvestheapplicationofimmensepressure,heat,andelectricalcurrentthroughthemetalsheets.Bydoingthis,youwillbeeliminatingresistancefromthemetalsheets,leadingtofusion.  Overtheyears,spotweldinghasbeenusedinvarioussectorsoftheeconomy.Businessessuchasautomobiledevelopmentinthemanufacturingindustryusespotweldingforsheetmetal.Uponcompletionofthesheeting,thejointweldproducedisusedtomanufacturevehiclebodies.  HowDoesSpotWeldingWork? First,letusunderstandthestepsusedinthespotweldingprocess.Hereisanoverview.  1.AligningofWorkpiecesandMetallicSheets Beforeweldingbegins,alltheworkpiecesandmetallicsheetsarelinedupaccordingly.Thisactivityiscriticalsinceoncethesheetsareweldedtogether,detachingthemwillnotbepossible.Failuretoalignyourworkpiecescorrectlymayforceyoutorepeattheprocedureafreshusingnewmetallicsheets. 2.PressingElectrodes Theprocessofpassingelectrodesinvolveschoosingsuitableelectrodesforweldingyourworkpieces.Mostwelderspreferusingpurerefractorycopperelectrodesduetotheirenhancedabilitytoresistoxidationandretainheat.Theseelectrodesarealsoidealsincetheycontainportionsofmolybdenum(Mo).MOisknowntohaveahighmeltingpoint,whichissufficienttopreventdelamination. 3.AllowingCurrenttoFlowthroughtheElectrodes  Inthisprocess,youarerequiredtopositionyourelectrodesintheircorrectdesignatedareas.Steponthelegalpadonyourweldingmachinetogeneratethenecessaryelectriccurrent.Thesteppingwillgenerateahighvoltageelectriccurrent.Thecurrentthenflowsthroughtheelectrodesandmetallicrodsintothemetalsheets.Asaresultofthemetal’sbaseresistancetotheelectriccurrent,heatisgeneratedtomeltthemetalsheet,andaweldisformed. Theheatproducedwillonlybelimitedtotheareaofcontactbetweentheelectrodeandtheweld.Usereasonableforcewhensqueezingtheelectrodestothemetalsheetstogetqualityyields.Attheholdingstage,switchoffthecurrentwhilemaintainingthepressuretoallowtheweldednuggettocooldown.  Thetypeofworkpiecesyou’llbeworkingonduringspotweldingwilldeterminethetypeandamountofcurrenttouse.Forinstance,theamountoftimeallowedforcurrenttoflowisdeterminedbytheworkpieces’thickness.Onceallyoursheetsareweldedaccurately,removeandrepositiontheelectrodesinreadinessforanewweldingsession. MaterialsUsedDuringSpotWelding Therearedifferenttypesofrawmaterialsforspotwelding.Otherthanmetallicones,youcanusesteel,nickelalloys,titanium,andwiremesh.Steelisextensivelyusedintheautomotiveindustryduetoitshighelectricalresistanceandpoorconductivity.Automotivemechanicspreferlowcarbonsteeltohighcarbonsteelbecauseitdoesn’tcrackeasily. Spotweldingcanalsobedifficultduetovariousfactors.Themostcommononesincludeusinggalvanizedsteelandaluminum.Thesematerialsrequirehighelectriccurrentlevelstoweldandalongerweldingtime,unlikeweldingsteel. Theotherfactoristheinappropriatethicknessoftheweldingmaterials.Spotweldingrequiresusingmaterialswithathicknesscloseto3mm.Ifyouareusingsheetswithdifferentsizes,alwaysmaintainaratioof3:1togetqualitywelds. Credit:Fusionstudio,Shutterstock TheParametersofSpotWelding 1.TheForceoftheElectrodes Theelectrodes’forcereferstotheamountofenergyrequiredtomergeorfuseyourmetalsheets.Thehighertheamountofenergy,themoreheatwillbegenerated.Inthiscase,engineersneedtobeextremelycautiousnottocompromiseontheweld’squality. Occasionallytheweldingcurrentneedstobeincreasedtoenhancetheweldingforce.Ensuretheincreaseisonamoderateleveltomitigatespatterformationbetweenthesheetsandtheelectrodes.Shouldspatterform,theelectrodeswilladheretometalsheetsandruinthefinalweld.  Spotweldingalsorequirestheapplicationofminimalpressure.Minimalpressurehelpsinconservingtheelectriccurrentandheatgeneratedfromthemetalsheetsandelectrodes.Applyingalotofpressurecreatesasmallspot,whichreducestheweld’spenetrationpower. 2.SqueezeTime Squeezetime,alsoreferredtoasprogrammedsqueezetime,isthedifferencebetweenapplyingtheinitialelectrodeforceandtheinitialcurrentonaworkpiece.Thisparameterfunctionsbystabilizingtheweldingtipbeforeanelectriccurrentisappliedtoit.Skippingthisstepmayleadtoarching,prematureelectrodewear,orinterfacialexpulsion.  Extendingthesqueezedurationisessentialtogettingqualitywelds.Ontheotherhand,thisextensioncanalsoleadtoincreasedoperatingcostsandfewerweldspersession.Limitingthesqueezingtimemaycausemetalexpulsionorproductionoflow-qualitywelds.Ensureyouprogramthesqueezetimeprematurelybeforebeginningtoweld.Programmingisdonefromthepowersupplytoallowtheelectrode’sforcetostabilizeeffectively.  3.TheWeldTime Weldingtimeisthedurationforapplyingelectriccurrenttotheworkpiecesormetalsheets.Thistimeisusuallycomputedusinglinevoltagecycles.However,itischallengingtocalculateweldingtimeaccurately.Itreliesheavilyontheactivityconductedaroundtheweldingspot.  Indeterminingtheweldingtime,herearethefactorstoconsider: Thetypeandamountofcurrenttouseshouldgenerateaqualityweld Ensuretheweldtimeisverybrief Whenweldingthicksheets,theweldtimeneedstogenerateanuggetwithalargediameter Chooseparametersthatreducethechancesofelectrodeswearingdown Changetheweld’sdurationduringanautomatictipdressingandmaintainaconstantvaluefortheelectrode’scontactsurface  4.HoldTime Holdtimeistheperiodafteraweldingsession.Duringthistime,theelectrodesremainattachedtothemetalsheettograduallycooldowntheweldedarea.Oncethefusedmasshassolidified,removetheweldedpartsfromtheweldingsurfacebeforestartinganewsession.  Overstretchingtheholdtimewillallowheattospreadontheweldunnecessarily.Thisheatspreadmaycauseelectrodestoheatupandbeginwearingout.Highcarbonmaterialsrequirelittleholdingtime.Suchmaterialsstartdevelopingcracksandbecomebrittlewhensubjectedtolongsessionsofholdingtime.Removingelectrodesbeforethenuggetssolidifymayresultintheweldspullingapartorproducingweakwelds. Credit:PraphanJampala,Shutterstock ApplicationsofSpotWelding 1.ManufacturingElectronics Spotweldingiswidelyusedtomanufactureitemssuchasgassensors,solarpanels,switches,highvoltagecables,andcircuitboards.Themethodisknowntohavehighelectricalresistance,makingitidealformanufacturingcomplexanddelicateelectronicitems.  2.FusingofNails Asignificantpartofthepopulationisnotawarethatspotweldingisamongthemethodsusedtojoinrollsofnails.Weldingsteelwirestonailsisusuallydoneathighspeedsusingpneumaticnailgunmagazines.Toincreasethenumberofnailstobeproduced,welderscanuseseamweldingwheels.Usingthesewheelsguaranteesaproductionrateestimatedat1,200nailsperminute. Beforebeginningtheprocessoffusingnails,ensuretheelectriccurrentappliedisprecise.Yourelectriccurrent’sfocusshouldbemajorlyatthepointwherethenailisundertheweldingwheel.Focusingintentlyontheelectriccurrentwillleadtosecuringthenailsaccuratelyinreadinessforfusion.  3.AutomobileIndustry Spotweldingisrenownedinthecarmanufacturingsectorsincethecostispocket-friendlyandreadilyavailable.Themethodisalsofastandprovidesanefficientandstraightforwardwayforweldingsheetmetalstomanufacturecars.Manufacturerscanalsocapitalizeonthelittletimespentusingthismethodanddevelopmorecarspershift,leadingtoprofitmaximization. Spotweldingrequireslittleskilltooperate.Themethodcanbeutilizedeffectivelybyrudimentarytrainedstafforprogrammedrobots,consequentlymakingtheproductionprocessflowsmoothly.  4.DentalTreatment Spotweldingisappliedindentallaboratoriesforseveraltreatments.Themethodisusedtoheatorrepairorthodonticmaterialsviaelectrosoldering.Aspotweldermaybeusedbyanorthodontisttoannealwireusedinfasteningdentalimplants. 5.ManufactureofBatteries Electricalresistanceisusedtospotweldingstrapstonickel-metalhydride,lithium-ionbatteries,ornickel-cadmiumcellswhenmanufacturingbatteries.Spotweldingfusesthinnickelstrapstothebattery’sterminals.Themethodiswidelypreferredtotheconventionalsoldering processsinceitpreventsfrequentheatingofthebattery.  AdvantagesofUsingSpotWelding  TheMethodisQuick Spotweldingisknowntohaveashortturnaroundtimeinyieldingresults.Duringspotwelding,theheatproducedissufficienttoadheretwopiecesofmetalsheetsuniformlyandinquicksuccession.Despitethemethod’sswiftness,workpiecesareneverdistorted. EasytoUnderstand  Spotweldingisamongtheoldestandwell-knownformsofwelding.Thismethodiswelldefinedandeasilyapplicableinweldingvariousthinmetalssuchasnickelandstainlesssteel.Sinceit’seasytounderstandandapply,thetechniqueiswidelyusedinseveralsectorssuchasaviation,automotive,building,andconstruction.  ProvenandTested Spotweldinghashighcompatibilitywithefficiencyanduniformity.Tothisday,therehasbeenalotofworkputinbyallstakeholdersinspotweldingtotestandprovethatthemethodisthebest.  EnergyEfficiency Weldingusingtheelectricalresistancemethodrequiresaminimalamountofenergyandelectricity.ThismethodprovidesamuchmoreefficientwayofutilizingelectricityandenergythanotherweldingmethodssuchasMIGandTIG.  Economical Spotweldsavesengineers’productioncostssinceitisrelativelycheaptooperate.Thisprocessalsoallowsyoutoincorporaterobotsthatenhancetheproductioncapacity.Forthisreason,spotweldinghasblendedeasilywithothercomplexproductionmethods,especiallyinareassuchastheassemblinglineofproduction.  DisadvantagesofFrictionWelding RequiresaLargeWorkingArea Spotweldingcannotbedoneinasmallorconfinedworkingspace.Themethodinvolvesusingalotofheatandhazardousgases.Assuch,thismethodrequiresyoutohavealargeandwell-ventilatedworkingarea. CanbeDangerous Theweldinggunsusedinspotweldingareheavyandrequiregreatstrengthwhenusingthem.Suchcharacteristicsmakethemethodverydangerous,especiallytotheagedwelders.Thehighamountsofheatproducedduringweldingcancausesevereburnsiftheycontactawelder’sskin. Weldersarealsoalwaysaroundhazardousfumesandsparks,whichposeasignificantrisktotheirhealth.Otherrisksposedtoweldersincludecrashingandinjuringthemselves,especiallyhandsandfingers. SpotWeldingCanbeWeak  Spotweldingisnotsuitableforweldingthickermaterials.Thefinalweldwillbeoflowqualitysincethespotweldwillnotpenetrateappropriately.Bythisweakness,projectsdoneusingspotweldingeasilybreakapart,requiringyoutodorepairsregularly.  FAQs 1.IsitPossibletoSpotWeldThickMaterials? Spotweldingisprimarilyusedtojointhinmaterialswiththicknessesofaround3millimeters.Whenweldingcomponentswithdifferentsizes,ensuretheratioofthicknessisnotgreaterthan3:1.Thestrengthofthefinalweldwilldependonthequantityandsizeofeachmaterial.Yourfinalproductshouldhaveaspot-welddiameterrangingfrom3mmto12.5mm.  2.CanYouSpotWeldAluminum? Overtheyears,theweldingindustryhasgraduallyshiftedfromusingsteeltotheuseofaluminum.Thisreplacementhashappenedinnumerousapplicationssuchascarmanufacturing,whereweightisasignificantcomponent.Mostweldersprefertakingadvantageofthethree-phaseelectricpowertospot-weldandmanufacturelightweightaluminumproducts. Thehighamountofelectricityneededinsuchweldingmakesspotweldingthemostsuitablemethod.Theturnaroundtimeinwhichspotweldingsupplieselectriccurrentis0.1secondsorless.  3.HowDoesaSpotWeldingMachineWork? Resistanceweldinginvolvestheresistancecausedbythematerialtotheflowofcurrent.Inthisprocess,thefinalweldisformedbycombiningpressure,time,andheat.Thematerial’sresistancewillcausetheformationoflocalizedheattofusethematerials.Theweldedpartsareusuallyhelddownbythepressureexertedbytheelectrodetipsandtongs. Theelectrodetipsandtongsalsoworkasconductorsthroughwhichelectriccurrentflowsduringtheweldingcycle.Severalfactorsusuallydeterminetheweldingduration.Thesefactorsinclude: Thematerial’sthickness Thecross-sectionalareaoftheweldingtip’scontactsurfaces Thetypeandamountofcurrentflow Conclusion:SpotWelding Spotweldingisbestappliedwhenyourequiresmallcross-sectionwelds.Welderscanalsorepeatthemethodasmanytimesastheywish.Theyonlyneedtocheckonthesizeoftheworkpiece.Repeatingspotweldingwillreinforceyourweld’sstrength,makingthemlastlonger.Thereinforcementisguaranteedduetothemethod’shighdegreeofstability.Welderscanalsoenhancetheweldingqualitybysettingthesplash’sconditionsclosetotheweldingparameters. Featuredimagecredit:Nordroden,Shutterstock HowDoesSpotWeldingWork?1.AligningofWorkpiecesandMetallicSheets2.PressingElectrodes3.AllowingCurrenttoFlowthroughtheElectrodes MaterialsUsedDuringSpotWeldingTheParametersofSpotWelding1.TheForceoftheElectrodes2.SqueezeTime3.TheWeldTime4.HoldTimeApplicationsofSpotWelding1.ManufacturingElectronics2.FusingofNails3.AutomobileIndustry4.DentalTreatment5.ManufactureofBatteriesFAQs1.IsitPossibletoSpotWeldThickMaterials?2.CanYouSpotWeldAluminum?3.HowDoesaSpotWeldingMachineWork?Conclusion:SpotWelding MoreWeldingArticlesLikeThis: HowMuchDoesItCosttoWeldaCatalyticConverterin2022? HowMuchDoesItCosttoWeldaMufflerin2022? 8DIYWeldingPositionerPlansYouCanAssembleYourself WorstandBestStatesforWeldingJobsin2022 WeldingIndustryStatisticsandMarketSize(Updatedin2022) HowCommonAreWeldingAccidents&Injuries?(2022Statistics) HowDangerousisWelding?Hazards&ThingstoKnow WhatisaMilitarySupportWelder,AndHowDoYouBecomeOne? CameronDekker   CamerongrewupinAllentown,Pennsylvania,aonce-proudsteeltownontheLehighRiver,wherehegotatasteofTIGweldinginhishighschoolshopclass.HeholdscertificatesforCertifiedWeldingEducator(CWE)andCertifiedResistanceWeldingTechnician(CRWT)fromtheAmericanWeldingInstitute.Hisinterestsincludescubadiving,sculpture,andkayaking. Search: Popular HowMuchDoesItCosttoWeldaCatalyticConverterin2022? HowMuchDoesItCosttoWeldaMufflerin2022? 8DIYWeldingPositionerPlansYouCanAssembleYourself WorstandBestStatesforWeldingJobsin2022 WeldingIndustryStatisticsandMarketSize(Updatedin2022) HowCommonAreWeldingAccidents&Injuries?(2022Statistics) GreatReadsonWaterWelders: