Experiment No 02

AIM = To study Resistance Welding & its setup

INTRODUCTION
In resistance welding the metal parts to be joined are heated by their resistance to the
flow of an electrical current. Usually this is the only source of heat, but a few of the welding
operations combine resistance heating with arc heating, and possibly with combustion of metal in
the arc. The process applies to practically all metals and most combinations of pure metals and
those alloys, which have only a limited plastic range, are welded by heating the parts to fusion
(melting). Some alloys, however, may welded without fusion; instead, the parts are heated to a
plastic state at which the applied pressure causes their crystalline structures to grow together.
The welding of dissimilar metals may be accomplished by melting both metals frequently only
the metal with the lower melting point is melted, and an alloy bond is formed at the surface of
the unmelted metal. In resistance welding processes no fluxes are employed, the filler metal is
rarely used and the joints are usually of the lap type. The amount of heat generated in the
workpiece
Depend on the following factors:
(1) Magnitude of the current,
(2) Resistance of the current conducting path, and
Mathematically, H = IVt
= I(IR)t
= I2Rt
Where H = heat generated in joules
I = current in Amp.
R = resistance in ohms
t = time of current flow in seconds.

Fig Resistance Welding setup

Types of Resistance welding
The major types of resistance welding are given as under:
(1) Spot Welding
(2) Seam Welding
(3) Projection Welding
(4) Resistance Butt Welding
(5) Flash Butt Welding
(6) Percussion Welding
(7) High Frequency Resistance Welding
(8) High Frequency Induction Welding

1) Spot Welding

In this process overlapping sheets are joined by local fusion at one or more spots, by the
concentration of current flowing between two electrodes. This is the most widely used resistance
welding process. A typical resistance spot welding machine is shown in Fig. It essentially
consists of two electrodes, out of which one is fixed. The other electrode is fixed to a rocker arm
(to provide mechanical advantage) for transmitting the mechanical force from a pneumatic
cylinder. This is the simplest type of arrangement. The other possibility is that of a pneumatic or
hydraulic cylinder being directly connected to the electrode without any rocker arm. For welding
large assemblies such as car bodies, portable spot welding machines are used. Here the electrode
holders and the pneumatic pressurizing system are present in the form of a portable assembly
which is taken to the place, where the spot is to be made.
The electric current, compressed air and the cooling water needed for the electrodes is
supplied through cables and hoses from the main welding machine to the portable unit. In spot
welding, a satisfactory weld is obtained when a proper current density is maintained. The current
density depends on the contact area between the electrode and the work-piece. With the
continuous use, if the tip becomes upset and- the contact area increases, the current density will
be lowered and consequently the weld is obtained over a large area. This would not be able to
melt the metal and hence there would be no proper fusion. A resistance welding schedule is the
sequence of events that normally take place in each of the welds. The events are:
1. The squeeze time is the time required for the electrodes to align and clamp the two
work-pieces together under them and provide the necessary electrical contact.
2. The weld time is the time of the current flow through the work-pieces till they are
heated to the melting temperature.
3. The hold time is the time when the pressure is to be maintained on the molten
metal without the electric current. During this time, the pieces are expected to be
forged welded.
4. The off time is time during which, the pressure on the electrode is taken off so that
the plates can be positioned for the next spot.
Before spot welding one must make sure that
(i) The job is clean, i.e., free from grease, dirt, paint, scale, oxide etc.
(ii) Electrode tip surface is clean, since it has to conduct the current into the work with
as little loss as possible. Very fine emery cloth may be used for routine cleaning.
(iii) Water is running through the electrodes in order to
(a) Avoid them from getting overheated and thus damaged,
(b) Cool the weld.
(iv) Proper welding current has been set on the current selector switch.
(v) Proper time has been set on the weld-timer.

Spot welding electrodes

Spot welding electrodes are made of materials which have
(1) Higher electrical and thermal resistivity’s, and
(2) Sufficient strength to withstand high pressure at elevated temperatures.
Copper base alloys such as copper beryllium and copper tungsten are commonly used materials
for spot welding electrodes. For achieving the desired current density, It is important to have
proper electrode shape for which three main types of spot welding electrodes are used which are
pointed, domed and flat electrodes.

Applications of Spot Welding

(i) It has applications in automobile and aircraft industries
(ii) The attachment of braces, brackets, pads or clips to formed sheet-metal parts such as cases,
covers or trays is another application of spot welding.
(iii) Spot welding of two 12.5 mm thick steel plates has been done satisfactorily as a replacement
for riveting.
(iv) Many assemblies of two or more sheet metal stampings that do not require gas tighter liquid
tight joints can be more economically joined by spot welding than by mechanical methods.
2) Resistance Seam Welding
It is a continuous type of spot welding wherein spot welds overlap each other
to the desired extent. In this process coalescence at the faying surfaces is produced by the heat
obtained from the resistance to electric current (flow) through the work pieces held together
under pressure by circular electrodes. The resulting weld is a series of overlapping resistance-
spots welds made progressively along a joint by rotating the circular electrodes. The principle of
seam welding is shown in Fig and resistance seam welding process set up is shown . The seam
welding is similar to spot welding, except that circular rolling electrodes are used to produce a
continuous air-tight seam of overlapping welds. Overlapping continuous spot welds
Seams are produced by the rotating electrodes and a regularly interrupted current.

Applications
1. It is used for making leak proof joints in fuel tanks of automobiles.
2. Except for copper and high copper alloys, most other metals can be seam welded.
3. It is also used for making flange welds for use in watertight tanks.

3) Resistance Projection Welding

Fig. Resistance projection welding

.
This process is a resistance welding process in which two or more than two spot welds are made
simultaneously by making raised portions or projections on predetermined locations on one of
the workpiece. These projections act to localize the heat of the welding circuit. The pieces to be
welded are held in position under pressure being maintained by electrodes. The projected contact
spot for welding should be approximately equal to the weld metal thickness. The welding of a
nut on the automotive chasis is an example of projection welding.

Benefits of Projection Welding Techniques

Projection welding is very easy to maintain if the fundamentals are taken into
consideration in the first place. Steel wire shopping carts, wire racks, and other crosswire
products are all projection welding. Nuts and bolts are often assembling to other metal parts by
projection welding. If you want to produce a part with very little heat surface marks on one side
of the panel, then processing a projection on the alternate part and using large electrodes
contoured to the finished part would facilitate the goal.

4 ) Resistance Upset Butt and Flash Butt Welding

This welding is also used for joining metal pieces end to end but it has largely
replaced the butt-welding method for weld articles small cross-sections. It can be used for thick
sections also. Initially the current is switched on and then one end the moveable part to be
welded is broughgently closer to the fixed end of the other part to localize heat at the ends and
thus raises the temperature of the ends quickly to the welding heat. On acquiring contact of fixed
end and moveable end with each other, the moveable end is then pressed against one another by
applying mechanical pressure.
Thus the molten metal and slag to be squeezed out in the form of sparks enabling the pure
metal to form the joint and disallowing the heat .to spread back. The principle of upset butt
welding and flash butt welding are depicted in In this resistance welding single phase A.C.
machines are commonly employed.

Resistance upset butt welding

Merits
1. It is comparatively much faster than butt welding.
2. This method utilizes less current in comparison to butt welding as the small portion of the
metal is only being heated for getting a good weld
3. Created joint by this welding is much stronger than the butt welding joint. Also the strength of
the weld produced is high even more than that of the base metal. The end of the metal pieces to
be welded in this welding need not be squared as it is the basic requirement in butt-welding.
4. A high degree of accuracy can be easily achieved in terms of length alignment of weld.

Demerits
1. The periodic maintenance of machine and replacement of insulation is needed as flashing
particles of molten metal are thrown out during welding which may enter into the slide ways and
insulation of the set up.
2. Welder has to take enough care against possible fire hazard due to flashing during welding.
3. Additional stock has to be provided for compensating loss of metal during f1ashing and
upsetting. This increases to the cost of weld.
4. Cost of removal of flash weld metal by trimming, chipping, grinding, etc. will increase
to the welded product.
5. Surface of the jobs where they come in contact with the gripping surfaces, should be clean
otherwise they will restrict the flow of electric current.

Applications
All conducting forged metals can be easily be flash welded. A number of dissimilar metals can
also be welded by controlling the welding conditions carefully. Metals generally welded metal
by the process involves lead, tin, antimony, zinc, bismuth and their alloys, low carbon steels,
stainless steel, alloy steels, tool steels, copper alloys, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys nickel
alloys, molybdenum alloys, and titanium alloys. This process is used in automobile industry,
welding of solid and tubular structural assemblies, etc. in air-craft industry, welding of band saw
blades, welding of tool steel drills, reamers and taps etc. to mild steel or alloy steel shanks,
welding of pipes and tubes.

Reference
Books
1. ‘Introduction to Basic Manufacturing Processes and Workshop Technology’, by
Rajendra singh NEW AGE INTERNATIONAL
2. Modern welding technology Howard B. Cary, Scott C. Helzer
3. Resistance Welding Manufacturing Alliance
4. "Making Resistance Spot Welding Safer," from the Welding Journal

Website
http://www.google.co.in/images
www.welding-advisers.com/Projection-welding
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spot_welding
www.weldingnet.com/wt-catalog.