WE 602 Resistance Welding Processes Review & Physics of Spot Welding

Reference Web Site for Review: www-iwse.eng.ohio-state.edu/we601

Resistance Welding Process Review

Lesson Objectives When you finish this lesson you should understand: Heat generation & nugget growth in resistance spot welding Basic, enhanced and pulsed weld cycles Advantages and limitations of spot welding A basic model of expulsion Learning Activities 1. View Slides; 2. Read Notes, 3. Listen to lecture 4. View Demos 5. Do on-line workbook 6. Do Homework

Keywords Spot weld Weld cycle

contact resistance bulk resistance

expulsion pulsing

heat flow electrode

Principal Types of Resistance Welds

Electrodes or Welding Tips Electrodes or Welding Wheels Electrodes or Dies

Projection Welds

Spot Weld

Seam Weld
Electrodes or Dies

Projection Weld

Upset Weld

Flash Weld

After Welding

After Welding

[Reference: Resistance Welding Manual, RWMA, p.1-3]

Introduction to Resistance Spot Welding Top Electrode

Water Weld Nugget

Distance

Resistance Bottom Electrode

Typical Equipment of Resistance Spot Welding

(a)

(b)

[Reference: Welding Process Slides, The Welding Institute]

Process Operation of Resistance Spot Welding

[Reference: Welding Process Slides, The Welding Institute]

Advantages of Resistance Spot Welding

Adaptability for Automation in High-Rate

Production of Sheet Metal Assemblies

High Speed Economical Dimensional Accuracy

Limitations of Resistance Spot Welding

Difficulty for maintenance or repair Adds weight and material cost to the product, compared with a butt joint Generally have higher cost than most arc welding equipments Produces unfavorable line power demands Low tensile and fatigue strength The full strength of the sheet cannot prevail across a spot welded joint

Eccentric loading condition

Basic Single Impulse Welding Cycle

Electrode Force
Welding Current

Squeeze Time

Weld Time Welding Cycle

Hold Off Time Time

[Reference: Welding Handbook, Volume 2, AWS, p.538]

Enhanced Welding Cycle

[Reference: Welding Handbook, Volume 2, AWS, p.539] Forge Force Forge Delay Time Pulse Impulse Welding Current Tempering Current
Cool Time

Electrode Force

Upslope Time

Cool Time

Downslope Time

Preheat Time

Quench Time

Squeeze time

Weld Time

Preweld Interval

Weld Interval
Welding Cycle

Postweld Interval

Temper Time

Hold Time

Contact-Resistance Measurement
Electrode Rec Force Small Current Rec Rsc Rtotal Rec Rv Rv

Rec = contact resistance between electrode and sheet surface

Rsc = contact resistance at the faying surface Rv = volume resistance of the sheets

Contact Area
Rec Electrode Force

Resistivity as A Function of Temperature

130 120 110 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

Resistivity, mW-cm

HSLA

Low Carbon

100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

Temperature, C
[Reference: Welding in the Automotive Industry, D.W. Dickinson, p.125]

Turn to the person sitting next to you and discuss (1 min.): The total resistance across the spot weld for plain carbon steel usually starts high because of interfacial surface asperities and oxides and surface contaminants. But the total resistance changes as current passes. What would be the value of resistance as time increases (dynamic resistance)? Draw a curve.
Resistance

Number of Cycles

Temperature Gradient of A Spot Weld Water

Electrode

End of Weld Time

20% of Weld Time

Work
Water Temperature Welding Temperature

Electrode Water

[Reference: Resistance Welding Manual, RWMA, p.1-4]

Nugget Growth
(a) (b)

Point 1

Point 2
Point 3

Nugget Growth (CONT.)

(a) (b)

Expulsion at Interfacial Surface

Zhang et al, Expulsion Modeling in RSW of Steel and Al Alloys, AWS Sheet Metal Conf VIII, 1998

Temperature Readings of A Spot Welding Process

This illustration was taken about 4/60th of a second after the welding current starts.

Zhang et al, Expulsion Modeling in RSW of Steel and Al Alloys, AWS Sheet Metal Conf VIII, 1998

Zhang et al, Expulsion Modeling in RSW of Steel and Al Alloys, AWS Sheet Metal Conf VIII, 1998

Zhang et al, Expulsion Modeling in RSW of Steel and Al Alloys, AWS Sheet Metal Conf VIII, 1998

Pulsing
Pulse 1 Pulse 2 Pulse 3

Pulse Time

Cool Time

Without Pulsing

With Pulsing

Turn to the person sitting next to you and discuss (1 min.): We have seen the nugget growth with AC current to grow when the peak in current is reached and shrink slightly as the current goes to zero each half cycle. What might occur when DC current is used?