Resistance Welding

Resistance welding is a group of welding

processes in which coalescence is
produced by the heat obtained from
resistance of the work piece to electric
current in a circuit of which the work piece
is a part and by the application of pressure

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 Resistance Welding
• Work pieces are welded due to a combination of a
pressure applied to them and a localized heat
generated by a high electric current flowing
through the contact area of the weld

• AC electric current (up to 100 000 A) is supplied

through copper electrodes connected to the
secondary coil of a welding transformer

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Resistance welding copper electrodes

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 Heat produced by the current is sufficient for local
melting of the work piece at the contact point and
formation of small weld pool (”nugget”)

 The molten metal is then solidifies under a pressure and

joins the pieces

 Time of the process and values of the pressure and

flowing current required for formation of reliable joint,
are determined by dimensions of the electrodes and the
work piece metal type

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 Factors involved in making RW
 Amount of current that passes through the work
 The pressure that the electrode passes to the work
 The time the current flows through the work
 The area of the electrode tip in contact with the work

RW Vs AW
 Pressure is used in RW
 But no fluxes and filler metal used in RW

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Heat Calculation of Resistance Welding

H =V x I x t x k

V
V =I x R From Ohm’s Law
I R

2
H =I x Rx t x k (1)
H : is the heat in Joules
I : is the electrical current passing through the work piece in amperes
t : is the time in seconds
K : is the heat loss constant
R : is the electrical resistance of the work piece in ohms
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 Metals may be welded by RW
 Weldability is decided by,
R
W=  100
 Electrical conductivity FKt
 Thermal conductivity W = Weldability
R = Resistivity
 Melting temperature F = Melting point (OC)
Kt = Thermal conductivity
 Low carbon Steels

 Aluminum alloys

 Medium, high carbon steels and Alloy steels (may

be welded, but the weld is brittle)

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 Advantages of Resistance Welding

 High welding rates

 Low fumes

 Cost effectiveness

 Easy automation

 No filler materials are required

 Low distortions

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 Disadvantages of Resistance Welding

 High equipment cost

 Low strength of discontinuous welds

 Thickness of welded sheets is limited - up to 6 mm

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 Resistance Welding Applications

 Vehicle body parts,

 Fuel tanks,
 Domestic radiators,
 Pipes of gas oil and water pipelines,
 Wire ends,
 Turbine blades,
 Railway tracks.

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 Types of Resistance Welding

Seven important resistance-welding processes:

 Resistance Spot Welding (RSW)

 Resistance Seam Welding (RSEW)
 Upset Welding (UW)
 Flash Welding (FW)
•
 Projection Welding (PW)
 Percussion Welding (PEW)
 High-Frequency Welding

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 Resistance Spot Welding (RSW)

Spot welding is a resistance welding process which

produces coalescence at the faying surfaces in one
spot by the heat obtained from resistance to electric
current through the work parts held together under
pressure by electrodes

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13
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 Resistance Spot Welding
• The size and shape of the individually formed welds are
limited primarily by the size and contour of the
electrodes.

• The equipment for resistance spot welding can be

relatively simple and inexpensive up through extremely
large multiple spot welding machines.

• The stationary single spot welding machines are of two

general types:

1. Horn or rocker arm type

2. Press type

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Horn or rocker arm type

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Press type Machines

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• The horn type machines have a pivoted or rocking
upper electrode arm, which is actuated by pneumatic
power or by the operator's physical power.

• They can be used for a wide range of work but are

restricted to 50 kVA and are used for thinner gauges.

• For larger machines normally over 50 kVA, the press

type machine is used.

• In these machines, the upper electrode moves in a

slide.

• The pressure and motion are provided on the upper

electrode by hydraulic or pneumatic pressure, or are
motor operated.
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 For high-volume production work, such as in the
automotive industry, multiple spot welding
machines are used.

 These are in the form of a press on which

individual guns carrying electrode tips are mounted.

 Welds are made in a sequential order so that all

electrodes are not carrying current at the same
time.

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Multiple Point Machines

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ROBOT SPOT WELING MACHINE

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Portable Spot Welding Machines

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 The welding cycle

Pressure
and
Current b Pressure c B

Current
New Weld
a A
x y
Time (Seconds)

Pressure Weld Hold Off

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 The welding cycle

 The pressure is applied and held constant (a-b on the graph).

 The current is switched on at “x”, held for 7 complete cycles
and switched off at “y”.
 The pressure is still applied until “c”.
 Cooling of the weld starts at “c”.
 Finally, the pressure is released and a new weld cycle is
repeated again at “A”.

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Heat distribution in resistance spot welding

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 Heat Calculation in Spot Welding

Electrode

d Work-piece L
Work-piece L

Electrode

The heat necessary to raise a cylinder of a metal having a diameter “d” and
a height of “2L” held between two electrodes is given by the expression:

H  A  2L  S  C  T  T  0

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Where:
2
A = Area under the two electrodes in (meter)
2L = height of the work-piece in (meters)

d = diameter of the electrode in (meters)

S = relative density of the metal being welded in (kg/in)
o
C = specific heat in (J/kg C)
o
T = welding temperature in ( C)
0 o
T = surrounding temperature atmosphere in ( C)
2
d
H  2 L  S  C  T  T 
0
(2)
4
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 0
Since T is small compared with T it can be neglected, therefore:

2
d
H  L  S  C T (3)
2
2
But , H  k  I  R  t
2
d 2
H  L  S  C T  k  I  R  t
2
2
2k  I  R t
Hence: T
d 2  L  S  C
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 Calculating Electrode Tip Diameter in
Spot Welding Machines

Electrode Tip Diameter (ETD) = 0.100” + 2L

 This formula is generally used for low carbon steel where “L” is
the thickness of one metal to be welded in inches.

 It is applicable to the welding of metals of dissimilar

thicknesses.

 This formula is applied to each thickness individually, and the

proper electrode tip diameter selected for each size of the joint.

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 Example (1)

Calculate the electrode tip diameter (ETD) if two

pieces of 0.062” sheet metal are to be joined?

Electrode Tip Diameter (ETD) = 0.100” + 2L

ETD = 0.100” + (2 x 0.062”)
ETD = 0.100” + 0.124”
ETD = 0.224”

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 Example (2)

Calculate the electrode tip diameter (ETD) if two pieces of

0.062” and 0.094” sheet metals are to be joined?

Electrode Tip Diameter (ETD) = 0.100” + 2L

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For the first side, the calculation is as follows:

ETD = 0.100 + 2 x 0.062”

ETD = 0.100 + 0.124”
Electrode tip diameter = 0.224” (first side)

For the other side, the calculation is as follows:

ETD = 0.100 + 2 x 0.094”

ETD = 0.100 + 0.188”
Electrode tip diameter = 0.288” (other side)

Remember that this formula is applicable for low carbon steels and
may not be correct for other materials.

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 Electrodes
 Two types

 Group A – Copper – Base alloys

Class 1 = CADMIUM-COPPER, suited to welding Al and Mg alloys,

coated materials, brass and bronze

Class 2 = CHROMIUM-COPPER, suited to welding cold-and hot-rolled

steels, SS, and low- conductivity brasses and bronzes

Class 3 = NICKEL-COPPER and BERYLLIUM-NICKEL-COPPER are

suited to welding steels having high electrical resistance, such as SS

Class 4 = BERYLLIUM-COPPER

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 Group B – Refractory alloys

Class 10 = TUNGSTEN 55% - COPPER 45%

Class 11 = TUNGSTEN 75%-COPPER 25%

Class 12 = TUNGSTEN 80%-COPPER 20%

Class 13 = TUNGSTEN

Class 14 = MOLYBDENUM

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 Specification

 RWMA specification

Nose Designation
E – 2 5 10
A = Pointed Nose
B = Dome Nose Length in no of ¼”
C = Flat Nose
D = Offset Nose RW taper
E = Truncated Nose
F = Radius Faced

RWMA Alloy class

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 Dressing Tips

1 New Tip
2 Used Tip requiring dressing
3 Dressing Method
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Trouble Shooting

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Trouble Shooting

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 Joint Design

Lap Joints

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Direct Spot and Indirect spot Welding

DIRECT INDIRECT

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 Resistance Seam Welding (RSEW)

Seam welding is a resistance welding process

similar in principle to spot welding however
continuous weld is produced by passing the work-
piece between rotating wheel shaped electrodes
which exert the pressure and conduct the welding
current.

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Schematic Illustration of
Seam Welding Process

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 Resistance Seam Welding (RSEW)

 Either continuous or an intermittent method of

operation is used to produce a seam weld.

 In continuous motion welding, the electrodes rotate at

a constant speed and the welding current either flows
continuously or interrupted

 In intermitted motion, electrodes travel the distance

necessary for each successive weld and stop.

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 The wheels can be either in line with the throat of the machine or transverse.

 If they are in line it is normally called a longitudinal seam welding machine

 If they are a line perpendicular to the throat of the machine it is called transverse seam welding
machine.

 In seam welding a rather complex control system is required.

 This involves the travel speed as well as the sequence of current flow to provide for overlapping welds.

 The welding speed, the spots per inch, and the timing schedule are dependent on each other.

 Welding schedules provide the pressure, the current, the speed, and the size of the electrode wheels.

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Seam Welding Machine

Transverse or Circular Machines 45

Longitudinal Machines 46
 Types of Seam Welds

 LAP SEAM WELDS JOINING OVERLAPPING FLAT SHEETS

 MASH SEAM WELDS WITH WORK METAL COMPRESSED AT THE

JOINT TO REDUCE JOINT THICKNESS

 BUTT SEAM WELDS

 FLANGE-JOINT LAP SEAM WELDS WITH AT LEAST ONE FLANGE

OVERLAPPING THE MATING PIECE

 FOIL LAP SEAM WELDS, IN WHICH AN ALLOY METAL FOIL IS

PLACED AT THE WELD INTERFACE

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 Advantages of RSEW over RSW
1. The roller replacement problem is less and it has a
long life because it is either internally or externally
water cooled.

2. Less Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) because of low heat

input.

3. The process is fast and provides defects free welds.

4. Stainless steel and other corrosion resistance alloys

do not lose their corrosion resistance properties as
there is a very little grain growth.

5. Seam welding process is extremely useful for welding

all type of sealed containers and tanks.
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High-Frequency Resistance Welding

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 Upset Welding (UW)

Upset welding (UW) is a resistance

welding process which produces
coalescence simultaneously over the entire
area of abutting surfaces or progressively
along a joint, by the heat obtained from
resistance to electric current through the
area where those surfaces are in contact.

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Schematic illustration of Upset Welding

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 Upset Welding (UW)
 This form of welding is applied for two pieces of metal as a butt joint.

 The two pieces are gripped together and pressed while heat is
generated on the contact surface by the electrical resistance of the
work-pieces.

 No arcing takes place between the surfaces of the work-piece.

 Pressure is applied before current being flow and is maintained

throughout the heating period.

 This type of welding process is used to weld rods, pipes and other
uniform sections.

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 Flash Welding (FW)

Flash Welding (FW) is a resistance welding

process which produces coalescence
simultaneously over the entire area of
abutting surfaces, by the heat obtained
from resistance to electric current
between the two surfaces, and by the
application of pressure after heating is
substantially completed.

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Schematic Illustration for Flash Welding (FW)

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 Flash Welding (FW)

 Flash welding is similar to up-set butt welding.

 The two work-pieces are placed on the clamping

jaws of the welding machine and as the parts are
brought together into light contact a voltage
sufficiently high to cause arcing between the ends is
applied.

 Arcing continues as the two parts advance until the

work attains a welding temperature and then
sufficient pressure is applied to produce a continuous
weld.

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58
EQUIPMENT

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 A MACHINE BED THAT HAS A FIXED PLATEN ATTACHED
TO IT, AS WELL AS A SET OF ELECTRICALLY
INSULATED WAYS THAT SUPPORT A MOVABLE PLATEN

 A MOVABLE PLATEN

 TWO CLAMPING ASSEMBLIES

 EQUIPMENT FOR CONTROLLING THE MOTION OF THE

MOVABLE PLATEN

 A WELDING TRANSFORMER WITH ADJUSTABLE TAPS

 CONTROLS AND MONITORS FOR MACHINE FUNCTIONS

 A VENT/FLASH CATCHER

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 APPLICATION
 AIRCRAFT ENGINE INDUSTRY

 CHAIN LINKS
 TRANSMISSION BANDS
 AUTOMOTIVE FLYWHEEL RING GEARS
 STRIPS THAT ARE JOINED FOR CONTINUOUS PROCESSING LINES
 WIRE AND BAR DRAWING OPERATIONS FOR CONTINUOUS STAMPING
PRESS FEED
 LINES
 ROLL FORM LINES
 AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR
 TUBE AND ROD EYE CLEVISES
 BAND-SAW BLADES
 DRILL EXTENSIONS USING TWO DIFFERENT MATERIALS
 MITER JOINTS FOR AUTOMOTIVE AND HOME WINDOW FRAMES
 CRANKSHAFT COUNTER WEIGHTS
 ALUMINUM-TO-COPPER ELECTRICAL TRANSITION FOR POWER
TRANSMISSION
 ANODES USED IN ALUMINUM SMELTERS

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 Projection Welding (PW)

Projection welding (PW) is a resistance

welding process which produces
coalescence of metals with the heat
obtained from resistance to electrical
current through the work parts held
together under pressure by electrodes.

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 Schematic Illustration of
Projection Welding (PW)

Fixed Head

AC power Supply

Movable Head

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 Variations
 Embossed-projection welding

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 Solid-projection welding

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Equipment

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 Projection Welding Advantages

 Different metals with different thickness can be easily

welded.
 Uniform welding.
 Production rate is very high.
 Long electrode life.
 Good weld appearance.

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