Abstract: A welding electrode for use in resistance spot welding an assembly of metal workpieces with curved surfaces and closed or open sections is disclosed. The welding electrode includes a body, a weld face at one end of the body, and contoured curvature forming the weld face. The contoured curvature is configured to seat around the curved surfaces of the metal workpieces when the weld face is pressed against the workpieces during a resistance spot weld event. When brought into contact with the curved surface of the workpiece, the electrode has an optimal contact area, which improves the spot weld process by improving the pressure and current distributions.

Abstract: A multi-tiered weld program that is effective in resistance spot welding of dissimilar materials is disclosed. The process is repeatable across a multitude of grades/thicknesses, and number of sheets of conductive materials, and is possible to perform with traditional weld tooling and electrodes. Different size/different material/different contact face geometries weld surfaces are used to balance thermal properties of the materials, and the process is designed to create a small, consistent Intermetallic Compound (IMC) that is effective in holding two different conductive materials together with a high level of strength that is suitable for industrial mass production. The multi-tiered resistance spot weld process uniformly preheats, welds, and cools the samples to control the formation of the IMC that is formed therein.

Abstract: A multi-tiered weld program that is effective in resistance spot welding of dissimilar materials is disclosed. The process is repeatable across a multitude of grades/thicknesses, and number of sheets of conductive materials, and is possible to perform with traditional weld tooling and electrodes. Different size/different material/different contact face geometries weld surfaces are used to balance thermal properties of the materials, and the process is designed to create a small, consistent Intermetallic Compound (IMC) that is effective in holding two different conductive materials together with a high level of strength that is suitable for industrial mass production. The multi-tiered resistance spot weld process preheats, welds, and cools the samples to control the formation of the IMC that is formed therein.