Abstract: A contact tip used with the electrode of a resistance welder. The contact tip includes a bore that has an insert of blended tungsten and copper inserted therein. Prior to insertion of the insert into the bore, the bore is lined with a composition containing silver. A brazing process can be utilized to enhance attachment of the insert to the contact tip.

Abstract: A resistance welding apparatus includes a welding gun having a first electrode tip serving as a first welding electrode, a second electrode tip serving as a second welding electrode, and a current branching electrode. The current branching electrode has an annular shape and is disposed in surrounding relation to the first electrode tip. The first electrode tip and the current branching electrode abut against a thinnest workpiece disposed on an outermost side of a stacked assembly that is resistance-welded by the resistance welding apparatus, and have opposite polarities to each other. When an electric current is passed from the first electrode tip to the second electrode tip and through the stacked assembly, a branched electric current flows from the first electrode tip to the current branching electrode.

Abstract: A welding apparatus comprises a first electrode; a second electrode opposite the first electrode, the second electrode being movable toward and away from the first electrode; a third electrode; a fourth electrode opposite the third electrode, the fourth electrode being movable toward and away from the third electrode; a first transformer winding adapted to be coupled to a power source; a second transformer winding electromagnetically coupled to the first transformer winding and the first and second electrodes; and a third transformer winding electromagnetically coupled to the first transformer winding and the third and fourth electrodes; the first transformer winding substantially evenly transferring current to the second transformer winding and the third transformer winding when energized by the power source, such that the first and second electrodes are energized substantially simultaneously with the third and fourth electrodes.

Abstract: A method of repairing a hole in a work piece includes mechanically constraining donor plates against a work piece. Constraint plates keep donor plates flush against the work piece during conductive heat resistance welding. By constraining the donor plates, the molten mixture produced by conductive heat resistance welding cannot escape the hole and a weldment substantially free of voids is formed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cooled welding electrode with a plurality of fins in the water well, where the fins are tapered between approximately 10 degrees and 45 degrees.

Abstract: A welding apparatus includes a first electrode tip; a second electrode tip opposing the first electrode tip; and an electrically conductive part which is provided so as to be freely interposed between the second electrode tip and a work and ensures electrical conduction between the second electrode tip and the work when the electrically conductive part is interposed between the second electrode tip and the work, the electrically conductive part including an electrically conductive member one side of which opposes the work with a presence of a void space from the work when the electrically conductive member is interposed between the second electrode tip and the work, and against which the second electrode tip is abutted on another side thereof, and a pair of electrically conductive abutment members which are provided integrally with the electrically conductive member in such a manner as to extend toward the work, and distal ends of which are abutted against the work, a position of abutment of the electrically

Abstract: Provided are an operation controller of an electrode and a control method therefor in electric resistance welding, which are capable of automatically inhibiting advancement of the electrode when an operating time period of a supply rod becomes abnormally longer. A part (1, 39) is supplied to the electrode by a supply rod (10), a steel plate part (4) is subjected to electric resistance welding, and there are provided a sensor means (27) which transmits an electrode advancing operation signal during restoring operation or at a time of completion of the restoring operation of the supply rod (10), a timer means (30) for judging whether the electrode advancing operation signal is transmitted at a timing within a predetermined time period or after elapse of the predetermined time period.

Abstract: The clamp comprises a balancing module that provides one degree of freedom between the mounting and the mobile subassembly that connects together the fixed and mobile arms and a main actuator, and this module has a device for moving this mobile subassembly relative to the mounting in this degree of freedom, for example in translation, the balancing system comprising a flexible device which is connected to the mobile subassembly and which applies a force, in said degree of freedom, to at least one member connected to the mounting, and, in addition, at least one balancing actuator for moving the mobile subassembly to a balanced position relative to the mounting. Particularly applicable to electrical resistance welding clamps.

Abstract: Spot welding electrodes with generally dome shaped welding faces are provided with surface features for welding both aluminum alloy sheet assemblies and steel sheet assemblies. A raised circular plateau is formed on the central axis of the dome and, in one embodiment, a suitable number of round bumps are formed in concentric spacing from adjacent the circumference of the plateau toward the circular edge of the welding face. For welding steel workpieces the plateau mainly serves as the engaging feature of the electrode. Both the plateau and concentric bumps are used in penetrating light metal surfaces for suitable current passage. In another embodiment, the domed surface is shaped with concentric terraces for engagement with the workpieces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a resistance welding head for use in production of electronic components with various kinds of small coils. The resistance welding head has a welding head tip and two opposite electrodes integrally extending from two sides of the welding head tip. A separating slot is defined between the two electrodes. Two ends of the two electrodes afar from the welding head tip are insulatively secured to each other via an insulating adhesive suitably received in the separating slot, so as to avoid potential crack at the welding head tip.

Abstract: An electrode whose electrode surface is a substantially convex curved surface and which has at a center portion a recess set at a predetermined depth allowing a welding trace formed on a metal body surface to reach a deepest portion when a nugget is formed in a satisfactory manner by the spot welding is used as at least an electrode for performing the spot welding. The spot welding quality is judged based on a shape of the welding trace formed on the metal body surface by the spot welding in correspondence with the recess.

Abstract: An electrical connector includes a hollow conductive post member having a circular periphery, a foot portion and a distal end. The distal end has a generally cup shaped indentation. A base member is included having top and bottom surfaces. The foot portion of the post member is mounted to the top surface. At least one standoff extends from the bottom surface of the base member. The at least one standoff is for resting against a contact surface when soldering the electrical connector to the contact surface, thereby separating the bottom surface from the contact surface to define a minimum volume therebetween for occupation by solder.

Abstract: An electrode for the projection welding of a weld nut to a workpiece has an electrode welding head with parts including a replaceable welding interface disc fitted therein. The electrode can be disassembled so that the conductive electrode interface within the welding head may be replaced when it becomes worn.

Abstract: A welding electrode has a body having a shank and a contact region for placement against a workpiece during welding. A portion of the body may be formed on a parabolic profile. A coating is formed on the contact region. The coating may have a first layer, and a second layer formed over the first layer. The first and second layers may have different compositions. The electrode may have internally formed cooling finwork for interaction with a liquid cooling system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for protecting an electrode during the resistance welding of workpieces, in particular sheet metal. Said device comprises a strip that is placed over the electrode and can be displaced in relation to the latter, a backing material of said strip having an electrically conductive coating. To improve the welding quality, the coating is applied to the opposite side of the strip from the electrode and consists of a material, whose hardness is less than that of the backing material of the strip. The soft, electrically conductive coating improves the transfer of current from the electrode to the workpiece, thus preventing weld spatter and improving the welding quality.

Abstract: A reflector is so provided as to entirely cover a plurality of flash lamps arranged in parallel with one another. The reflector reflects flash light emitted from the flash lamps. A plurality of trigger electrodes needed to allow the flash lamps to discharge are so fixed to the reflector with insulating members interposed therebetween, respectively, as to be proximately opposed to the plurality of flash lamps in a one-to-one correspondence with each other. This eliminates the necessity to provide trigger wires one by one near the flash lamps during the maintenance of the apparatus, the change of lamps or the like, and it is possible to easily provide the trigger electrodes near the flash lamps only by fixing the reflector at a predetermined set position.

Abstract: A spot-welding tool having at least one electrode for resistance welding of workpieces such as metal sheets. The spot welding tool has a pressure element for holding down the workpieces arranged on the electrode in a region of the electrode cap to prevent process-dependent warping or arching of the workpiece.

Abstract: An improved spot welding tip is adapted for welding a set of adjacent members within a heated zone during a welding program, wherein a quantity of energy is produced, and for reducing the final base temperature of the heated zone. The tip presents a distal engaging surface for contacting one of the members and defines a preferably inner space located a preferred distance from the surface. A phase changing body is releasably retained within the space. At least a portion of the body changes from a first phase to a second phase by absorbing at least a portion of the heat energy during the welding program.

Abstract: A method for resistance welding for welding two workpieces to one another using spot-welding tools. In the method, two electrodes of the spot welding tool are pressed against each other, and the electrodes are powered with energy. The workpieces are interposed and contact of the workpiece with the spot-welding tool is detected with a pressure element movably arranged on at least one of the electrodes and projecting beyond the electrode. The pressure element is then displaced relative to the electrode until the electrode contacts the workpiece.

Abstract: To provide a joint product of a steel product and an aluminum material, and a spot welding method for the joint product, ensuring that spot welding with high bonding strength can be performed. In one embodiment, a steel product 1 having a sheet thickness t1 of 0.3 to 3.0 mm and an aluminum material 2 having a sheet thickness t2 of 0.5 to 4.0 mm are joined together by spot welding to form a joint product of a steel product and an aluminum produce. In this joint product, the nugget area in the joint part is from 20×t20.5 to 100×t20.5 mm2, the area of a portion where the thickness of the interface reaction layer is from 0.5 to 3 ?m is 10×t20.5 mm2 or more, and the difference between the interface reaction layer thickness at the joint part center and the interface reaction layer thickness at a point distant from the joint part center by a distance of one-fourth of the joint diameter Dc is 5 ?m or less.

Abstract: A device for protecting an electrode during the resistance welding of workpieces, particularly of metal sheets, is made of a strip that is placed over the electrode, in a manner that enables it to be displaced in relation thereto. In order to reduce the wearing of the electrode, the strip is formed from at least two metal strips, which are arranged one atop the other and which are made of different materials. The materials of the metal strips are preferably matched to the material of the electrode and to the material of the workpiece, particularly the metal sheet, with regard to predetermined properties. A spot-welding tool is provided for carrying out the resistance welding of workpieces, particularly of metal sheets, having at least one electrode. A resistance welding method welds two workpieces, particularly metal sheets to one another by spot-welding tools.

Abstract: A spot welding system including a welding gun with an electrode pair actuated by a servo-motor, a robot carrying the welding gun or objective workpieces and operating to change the relative positions and orientations of the welding gun and the workpieces, and a gun motion controller controlling the servo-motor to actuate the electrode pair to open or close. The gun motion controller includes a motion commanding section outputting a motion command to the servo-motor in accordance with a speed set-value designating a closing speed of the electrode pair, and a set-value adjusting section automatically adjusting the speed set-value to an appropriate value.

Abstract: A spot welding tip for use in a spot welding machine includes a base portion having a longitudinal base axis that passes through a center of the base portion. A tip portion extends from the base portion and provides a contact surface. The tip portion includes a longitudinal tip axis that passes through a center of the tip portion and a center of the contact surface. The spot welding tip includes a transverse axis that is perpendicular to both the base axis and the tip axis. The base axis and the tip axis are parallel to one another and offset from one another by a length. The contact surface is angled with respect to the transverse axis by an angle.

Abstract: A tip dresser is disclosed, by which a cutter body can be easily formed and by which an end of an electrode tip can be quickly and neatly grinded. A tip dresser, which is configured to grind a pair of electrode tips used for spot welding in a manner of approaching ends of a pair of the electrode tips to each other, includes a cutter including a holder configured to be rotationally driven with a rotation center axis matched to an axial center of each of the mutually approached electrode tips, a cutter body retained by the holder to cut vicinities of the ends of electrode tips in case the holder is rotated.

Abstract: There is provided an electric driving unit for X-type gun capable of preventing a pressure application driving body from being troubled inside thereof, stabilizing holding of the gun, operating with precision while reducing a trouble during a welding operation, excluding interference with a workpiece and a jig, and also capable of stabilizing a swinging motion of the gun arms, executing swinging motion naturally, simplifying attachment and detachment of the components as the electric driving unit and executing maintenance with very ease and precision.

Abstract: A method of resistance welding comprising the steps of contacting a metal sheet with an electrode having an initial contact surface area at a force to provide a pressure to the metal sheet applying a current through the electrode to the metal sheet; measuring dimensional changes of the electrode; correlating dimensional changes in the electrode to changes in the initial contact surface area; and adjusting the force to compensate for the changes in the initial contact surface area of the electrode to maintain pressure to the metal sheet. The force may be adjusted by stepping the force to maintain pressure to the faying surface of the metal sheet to be welded. By maintaining the pressure at the faying surface the life cycle of the electrodes may be increased without forming discrepant welds. The current may also be stepped to further extend electrode life.

Abstract: A stud weld head includes an electrode with a base for attaching the electrode to the stud welder; a body extending from the base and having a stud receiving cavity; and a retention device associated with the stud receiving cavity to permit entry and removal of a stud from the cavity without contact with the retention device. The improved stud weld head retains the stud during the welding operation reducing the chances that the stud inconveniently falls out of the stud receiving cavity.

Abstract: A method and an electrode for welding a stranded metal workpiece to a substrate workpiece using electrical-resistance welding is provided and a weldment article of manufacture made thereby. More particularly, the method and electrode are best suited for welding a stranded copper lead wire to an aluminum substrate and the weldment article of manufacture made thereby is desired.

Abstract: Welding electrodes with a welding face for contact with a metal surface for electrical resistance welding are provided with concentric contoured rings formed into the face. The rings may, for example, be ridges upstanding in the face or grooves depressed into the face. The contoured rings may be radially spaced with relatively flat (depending on the curvature of the face) intervening rings. When the electrode is pressed into contact with the surface of the workpiece for delivery of a welding current, the features of the concentric rings penetrate surface oxides or other conductivity barriers. When ongoing welding operations have eroded the contoured rings they may be rapidly reformed in the weld face in a surface re-dressing operation.

Abstract: A welding assembly is provided for welding a fastener to an object such as a vehicle body panel. The assembly includes a weld gun having first and second electrodes movable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position. The first electrode includes a housing assembly. A pin is received in the housing assembly and is movable when in said closed position between a desired nut position, and upside down nut position, and a no nut position. An optical sensor has a terminal end space from the pin for direction light thereon. The terminal end of the sensor received reflected light from the pin. A sensor control system processes the reflected light into a signal corresponding to one of the desired nut, upside down nut, and no nut positions.

Abstract: According to the invention a hollow cylindrical shank of electrically conducting metal is connected to a resistance welder. A coolant supply tube passes through the shank and has an interior coolant supply passage. The coolant supply tube has an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the hollow cylindrical shank. A weld cap seats on the shank and has a cap tip and a cap skirt that depends from the cap tip and is attached to the shank. An underside of the cap tip faces the shank and the supply tube. A coolant receiving bore formed into the underside of the weld cap extends into the cap tip to receive the coolant supply tube part way into the bore. The bore formed into the underside of the cap tip defines a bore sidewall that provides added area of heat transfer contact between the coolant and the cap tip.

Abstract: An electrode tip dresser is disclosed which can dress a pair of electrode tips to a usable state while achieving a desired accuracy of a tip surface of each electrode tip including an angular portion at a peripheral edge of the tip surface, without separating each electrode tip from a welding gun. The electrode tip dresser includes a holder which is rotatable about a common axis of electrode tips, a pair of support shafts which are held by the holder, are arranged in parallel in an approach direction of the electrode tips, and extend in a direction orthogonal to the approach direction, and a pair of dressing rollers which are rotatably supported by the support shafts, respectively, to dress the electrode tips to a usable state.

Abstract: A connecting element for connecting and/or fixing an electrode with an electrode arm of a welding apparatus has a base body; and a sensor selected from the group consisting of a sensor for introducing ultrasound waves into an electrode, a sensor for receiving ultrasound waves and both.

Abstract: An article for texturing an electrode having a tip hardness and a tip contour is disclosed. The article includes a plate having an upper surface and a lower surface, and an indentation in at least one of the upper and the lower surface. The indentation includes a textured surface having a plurality of asperities. The textured surface has a hardness greater than the tip hardness of the electrode. The texture of the textured surface is imprinted into the tip of the electrode in response to the tip of the electrode and the textured surface being pressed against each other.

Abstract: A variety of electrodes for use in a plasma arc torch are provided that improve cooling between the electrode and an adjacent cathodic element such as a cathode. At least one passageway is formed between the electrode and the cathode for the flow of a fluid, e.g. cooling fluid, wherein the flow of the fluid is proximate, or through an adjacent vicinity of, electrical contact between the cathode and the electrode. The passageway is formed through the electrode, through the cathode, between the electrode and the cathode, and through a third element in the various forms of the present invention. Further, methods of operating a plasma arc torch using the electrodes according to the various forms of the invention are also provided.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided including an electrode extending to an electrode tip for contacting a workpiece. A welding configuration of the electrode tip is established by exposing the electrode tip to a selected welding environment for use in forming a weld having a target set of weld parameters. An electrode passage is defined in a biasing force arrangement supporting at least a portion of the length of an elongated, flexible electrode and to limit lateral movement sufficient to transfer at least a portion of a resilient force to the electrode tip so that the tip resiliently contacts the weld region. The electrode passage limits induced lateral flexing to an extent which transfers an amount of the resilient force to the first end portion of the electrode that is sufficient to provide for formation of a weld between the support arrangement and the workpiece.

Abstract: An electrode element for plasma torches and a production method for such electrode elements. The electrode element for plasma torches includes at least one core made of a metal or a metal alloy having a smaller work function that forms the actual electrode connected as a cathode. This core is enclosed by a shell part, which is made of a metal or a metal alloy having a greater work function than the core and a greater thermal conductivity. Between the core surface and the shell part there is provided a boundary layer in a graded form, which is made up of solid solutions of the two metals or metal alloys, or an intermediate layer toward the core surface and toward the shell part, which is made of another metal or a metal alloy having a work function greater than that of the core material wherein the boundary layers of the intermediate layer form a graded transition.

Abstract: An electrode wire for use in a thermal spray process. The electrode wire is formed with a first layer of a first material formed as tubular outer layer and a second layer of a second material, different from the first material, formed as a tubular inner layer located inside the tubular outer layer. The tubular inner layer includes in an outer surface which is located in substantially uniform contact at an interface with an inner surface of the tubular outer layer. The interface between the inner and outer layers is defined by a mechanical bond between the materials of the inner and outer layers. In a method of performing a thermal spray process the electrode wire is caused to vaporize and spray on a substrate surface to form a bondcoat on the substrate surface.

Abstract: A curved electrode includes an installing portion to be installed in an electrode holder, an offset portion by which the offset amount is obtained, and a tip portion which comes into contact with the material to be welded W, the portions being formed separately and assembled together. A vertical hole and a horizontal hole are formed within the installing portion, an axis hole is formed within the offset portion, and a water supply tube is inserted into a cooling hole which is constructed of the vertical hole, the horizontal hole and the axis hole. C-chamfering or R-chamfering is conducted to a corner where the vertical hole and the horizontal hole intersect. An object of the present invention is to provide a curved electrode which can be manufactured easily at a low cost, and if a part of it is damaged, only that part needs to be replaced at a low cost. The durability of the curved electrode can be improved at the same time.

Abstract: An electrically and thermally conductive adapter for connecting a weld electrode to a tip holder portion of a welding device. The adapter has a first, threaded end, for removable engagement with a like-threaded receiving cavity in the tip holder. The threads may be of parallel configuration to minimize damage to the receiving cavity. The adapter has a second, preferably tapered end, for receiving a removable weld electrode. A passageway is preferably provided through the adapter for transporting cooling fluid to the electrode. An o-ring may be retained on the adapter and designed to engage with a groove in the receiving cavity in order to prevent leakage of cooling fluid from around the threads. The adapter is economical to manufacture and may be quickly and easily removed or installed to the tip holder. The adapter reduces damage to the tip holder commonly caused by the repeated changing of electrodes.

Abstract: A reel wire type of welding device for spot welding includes a first guiding portion rotatably mounted in a front end of the welding device such that the wire is supported and guided in a working area in which the wire contacts a target object. At least one second guiding portion is mounted in a rear of the roller such that the wire is supportedly guided in a zigzag manner as the wire is pressed in both upward and downward directions.

Abstract: In response to the recent various requests, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing filler neck to facilitate jointing a mouthpiece and a feeding pipe which were manufactured separately into an integrated filler neck having an excellent hermeticity. The method for manufacturing a filler neck 1 comprises the following steps: jointing an inner face of the circumferential wall portion 16 of a feeding pipe and an outer face of the circumferential wall portion 12 of the mouthpiece, and integrating with the mouthpiece 2 and the feeding pipe 3, wherein the outer of the mouthpiece and the inner face of the feeding pipe are in relation to be fitted in a press-fitted condition, a seam welding is executed to the welding area W provided in a range of the overlapped area S defined by the width of the circumferential wall portions.

Abstract: An emissive electrode insert formed from an alloy containing hafnium and zirconium. The insert typically contains at least about 80% hafnium by weight and about 0.1 to about 8% zirconium by weight. The invention also relates to a plasma torch electrode formed from an electrode body with a cavity into which such an emissive insert is fitted, to a plasma torch utilizing such an electrode, and to a plasma cutting process for cutting a steel workpiece, in which such a plasma torch is employed.

Abstract: A welding assembly is provided for welding a fastener to an object such as a vehicle body panel. The assembly includes a weld gun having first and second electrodes movable relative to one another between an open position and a closed position. The first electrode includes a housing assembly. A pin is received in the housing assembly and is movable when in said closed position between a desired nut position, and upside down nut position, and a no nut position. An optical sensor has a terminal end space from the pin for direction light thereon. The terminal end of the sensor received reflected light from the pin. A sensor control system processes the reflected light into a signal corresponding to one of the desired nut, upside down nut, and no nut positions.

Abstract: A resistance welding tip assembly having a welding tip support to which a welding tip is secured. A sleeve is constructed of an electrical insulating material, such as ceramic, and the sleeve includes a throughbore along a preset axis. The sleeve is slidably mounted to the welding tip support along the preset axis between an extended position and a retracted position relative to the welding tip support. A compression spring disposed between the welding tip support and the sleeve urges the sleeve towards its extended position. The welding tip extends through the sleeve throughbore and is of the same size and cross-sectional shape as the sleeve. Furthermore, when the sleeve is in its extended position, a free end of the welding tip is recessed within the sleeve throughbore. Conversely, when the sleeve is in its retracted position, the free end of the welding tip is adjacent a free end of the sleeve and accessible for a welding operation.

Abstract: A device is shown for determining if a weld nut is oriented or even present on a work piece before welding is initiated. This device determines the status of the weld nut by gauging the pressure of the air. If the weld nut is correctly oriented, then a predetermined pressure has been obtained and the welding of the nut to the work piece occurs. If an elevated air pressure is read, the device does not send a signal to weld as the weld nut is oriented upside down. If the air pressure is high, or at or nearing the supply pressure, then there is no weld nut present and no weld signal is delivered.

Abstract: In a chip collecting apparatus for a tip dresser of the present invention, a chip pickup case mounted on a dresser main body is divided into an upper case and a lower case, and the lower end of an arm admission port formed in the upper case is opened downward. During teaching operation, the lower case is rotated to open the lower end of the upper case, through which the insertion of a first gun arm into a lower chamber can be visually checked, and thus an electrode tip provided at the end thereof and a dressing body for dressing the end of the electrode tip are guided such that the central axes thereof conform to each other.

Abstract: A design of copper welding electrode is disclosed. The electrode can be used in successive spot welding operations on assembled aluminum alloy sheet parts of widely varying thicknesses, e.g., from 0.9 to 4+ mm. The electrode has a round body terminating in a truncated cone with a crowned face. The face has a diameter of about eleven millimeters up to the diameter of the body and the radius of the crowned face is about twenty to thirty millimeters. The dimensions and shape of the electrode provide robust welding performances despite varying part thicknesses and off angle electrode positioning, and the textured surface provides good electrical contact.

Abstract: An copper alloy material having a structure in which fine particles with a mean particle size of 50 nm or less have precipitated in a structure composed of fibrous crystal grains with a minor axis length of 10 &mgr;m or less which are composed of subgrains with a mean grain size of 3 &mgr;m or less is obtained by extruding an alloy material represented by a general formula Cubal.Xa (wherein X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Cr, Zr, Fe, P, and Ag; a is 1.5% by weight or less, and the balance is Cu comprising unavoidable impurities) at an extrusion ratio of 4 or higher and at a temperature of 300 to 600° C. The copper alloy material is preferably heat treated at a temperature of 350 to 700° C before and after the extrusion.

Abstract: A process is provided for forming a resistance welding electrode. The process includes the step of providing a billet formed from a high conductivity metal. The billet includes a first portion having a first inner cavity formed therein. The process further includes the steps of inserting a dispersion strengthened copper insert into the first inner cavity of the billet thereby forming an insert-containing billet, and deforming the insert-containing billet so as to mechanically lock the insert in place in the billet. The deformed insert-containing billet comprises the resistance welding electrode.