Resistance and Spot Welding
Resistance welding is a process that quickly and efficiently joins two or more thin sheets of metal. This welding process also allows both similar and dissimilar materials to be welded together with no shielding gasses or fluxes. Midwest Engineered Systems can automate resistance and spot welding processes into virtually any automation system. From small standalone systems to fully robotic automation, MWES custom designs each welding system for the customer’s specific needs.
Resistance welding has wide applications in the metal fabrication and manufacturing industries. In all resistance welding processes, a strong current is passed through metals, heating them up and melting them together at predetermined points. These weld points will depend on the design of the welding workpiece and the positions of the electrodes used in the welding process. Some more common types of resistance welding include spot welding, seam welding, butt welding and projection welding.
Advantages of Resistance Welding
There are quite a number of advantages to using resistance welding. Among them are the following:
- A cleaner, less-polluted work environment
- It’s a simple process, easily integrated with automation and robotics, and does not demand pre-service training for welding teams
- Low-cost and capable of high-volume production
- Able to adapt to welds of similar and dissimilar metals
- Heat is concentrated and heat input intervals are short
- Typically does not need solvents or other materials; also has no need for shielding gases
Spot welding is the most frequently used type of resistance welding process. The welded joint is formed by pressing electrodes with pointed tips at welding locations to focus the proper current and heat to particular places on the metals to be welded. Spot welding can be easily automated and is extensively in the automotive industry for the production of car chassis parts and other sizable components. Spot welding is also used in the manufacturing of furniture and other household items.
Advantages of Spot Welding
Resistance Spot Welding (RSW) has several advantages that should be noted. Some of the most important ones include the following:
- Spot welding is fast, simple, and widely applicable
- No dangers from open flames.
- No need for filler metals or fluxes to produce a join.
- Automated robots can easily ramp up production by carrying out dozens to hundreds of spot welds within seconds depending on the weld components
- Metal sheets can be welded together simultaneously
Resistance or Spot Welding?
Choosing between spot welding and another type of resistance welding will depend on a project’s specific welding needs and goals. Choosing other resistance welding processes could mean using complicated equipment that will require technical training and skills for employees to operate the automated welding machines efficiently, driving up operational costs. On the other hand, with spot welding, the electrodes must be able to make contact with both sides of the metal pieces that are undergoing the welding process. A weak or small weld will result if the welding electrodes have weak currents, are not holding the metal pieces with sufficient force, or are not hot enough to complete the weld.
While this is only a small portion of our welding integration capabilities, we can design any system to meet your needs from automating manual welding processes or upgrading current robotic systems. Contact Us to learn more.