Abstract: A spot welding apparatus includes: a fixed frame installed in an arm of a robot; an upper welding gun installed in one side of the fixed frame and reciprocating up and down through a pressurization unit; a rotary unit rotatably installed in a lower side of the fixed frame; and a plurality of lower welding guns installed through the rotary unit to correspond to the upper welding gun.

Abstract: A spot welding apparatus includes: a fixed frame installed in an arm of a robot; an upper welding gun installed in one side of the fixed frame and reciprocating up and down through a pressurization unit; a rotary unit rotatably installed in a lower side of the fixed frame; and a plurality of lower welding guns installed through the rotary unit to correspond to the upper welding gun.

Abstract: A device is configured for changing electrode caps of a welding unit. The device includes at least one reserve unit configured to hold in reserve electrode caps which are required for welding with the welding unit. The device also includes a cap changing unit configured to change an electrode cap mounted on a welding tool for another electrode cap held in reserve in the reserve unit. The cap changing unit is configured to arrange the electrode cap demounted from the welding tool in the at least one reserve unit.

Abstract: Provided is an electrode support structure in which local heating can be prevented from occurring in a workpiece during the electric heating. The electrode support structure is usable for applying a load to the electrodes used for the electric heating of a metal plate, and comprises at least two members, i.e., a first member to which the electrodes are fixed and a second member which receives the load from the first member or connects the first member to a load means. The support structure in which the two members are joined to each other through an elastic member can uniformly apply the load to the electrodes for electric heating so that the electrodes can uniformly contact with the workpiece, whereby the workpiece can be uniformly heated.

Abstract: A combination component handling and connecting device connectable to a multi-axis robot for use in moving and connecting components and subassemblies includes a housing and an actuator fixedly connected to the housing. The actuator includes an actuating link movable from a first position to a second position. Connected to the actuating link is an end effector for concurrent movement with the actuating link. The component handling and connecting device includes a clamp having a first jaw and a second jaw. The second jaw is connected to the actuating link for selectively moving the second jaw toward the first jaw operative to engage a component.

Abstract: A dummy weld apparatus including a dummy weld gun which allows a direct weld robot with a conventional weld gun to clamp down on the dummy weld gun to apply force and weld current for performing welding of workpieces of a first composition (e.g., aluminum). This arrangement allows the current provided by the conventional weld gun to flow through the dummy weld gun for welding the workpieces using weld tips dedicated to welding parts of the first composition, but also allows the dummy weld gun to be removed from the conventional weld gun to allow the conventional weld gun to performing welding operations on workpieces of a second composition (e.g., steel) using the original welding tips of the weld gun, avoiding material contamination of the tips.

Abstract: A spot welding electrode removal apparatus that is compact and durable is provided. Specifically, the apparatus includes a J-shaped operating lever, and in a position adjacent to the end of the operating lever and facing the contact member, a pressing member is provided. The operating lever is pivotably supported at a portion of the operating lever closer to the end of the operating lever than the pressing member is by a portion of the rotating case adjacent to the side of the contact member. The electrode is placed between the contact member and the pressing member, and a pivotal operation of the operating lever toward the electrode allows the pressing member and the contact member to sandwich the electrode, and a further pivotal operation of the operating lever toward the electrode allows the electrode to rotate together with the rotating case, thereby removing the electrode from a shank end.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spot welding cap changer (1) with a cap puller (2) and two cap magazines (3, 3A), the cap puller (2) having a gripper (20) with spring-loaded, pivotable jaws (21, 22), which in response to a turning and axial pulling-off movement detaches a spot welding cap (K) of a pincer spot welding head introduced into it from a shaft of the pincer welding head in such a way that it is clamped to prevent it twisting, and the cap magazines (3, 3A) holding spot welding caps respectively in a round cap carrier (31) such that they are circularly arranged in a directed and oriented manner and are respectively transported individually one after the other into an access position against a stop (32) by an advancing force (P).

Abstract: An electrode tip magazine for a spot welder that does not interfere with the welding gun is provided. The magazine includes a magazine body formed with a storage part slidably aligning and storing a plurality of electrode tips therein, one end of this storage part serving as an externally opened supply port, a push-out member disposed to be freely slidable between both ends inside the storage part, a pulley disposed at a position adjacent to the supply port of the magazine body, a spiral spring disposed at a position at the other end of the storage part of the magazine body, and a wire connecting a distal end of the spiral spring and the push-out member with an intermediate portion thereof being wound around the pulley so as to always pull the push-out member toward the supply port by a biasing force of the spiral spring.

Abstract: A spot welding tip detaching apparatus includes a movable plate, an engaging/stopping part, and a holder part. The movable plate has a guide hole through which a shaft set upright in a base plate is inserted with a gap being left between the guide hole and the shaft, rotatable relative to the base plate, and movable along the base plate within a range of the guide hole. The engaging/stopping part stops the movable plate at a predetermined position of the base plate by engagement in an engageable/disengageable manner. The holder part is provided integrally on the movable plate to hold a tip fitted in a spot welding gun. The holder part sandwiches the tip between two members of the holder part. According to movement of the tip along a predetermined route, the holder part rotates the tip, while holding the tip, to detach the tip from the spot welding gun.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spot welding cap changer (1) with a cap puller (2) and two cap magazines (3, 3A), the cap puller (2) having a gripper (20) with spring-loaded, pivotable jaws (21, 22), which in response to a turning and axial pulling-off movement detaches a spot welding cap (K) of a pincer spot welding head introduced into it from a shaft of the pincer welding head in such a way that it is clamped to prevent it twisting, and the cap magazines (3, 3A) holding spot welding caps respectively in a round cap carrier (31) such that they are circularly arranged in a directed and oriented manner and are respectively transported individually one after the other into an access position against a stop (32) by an advancing force (P).

Abstract: A weld cap changing tool for removing weld caps from weld shanks includes an elongated shaft portion, a first weld cap removing portion that includes two prongs extending away from the shaft portion to free distal ends, the two prongs of the first weld cap removing portion being separated by a first characteristic gap, and a second weld cap removing portion that includes two prongs extending away from the shaft portion to free distal ends, the two prongs of the second weld cap removing portion being separated by a second characteristic gap. When the weld cap changing tool is in a first engagement position, the first weld cap removing portion engages the first weld cap and, and when in a second engagement position different from the first engagement position, the second weld cap removing portion engages the second weld cap of a different size than the first weld cap.

Abstract: The invention provides a spring product manufacturing line comprising: a manufacturing area 2 at which a formation device 50 attached to a base mount 52 plastically processes a spring material into a spring product; a formation device switching area 3 at which one formation device 50 is removed from the mount 52 and switched with another forming device 50; and a formation device transport line 4 that conveys a formation device 50 attached to a base mount 52 at the device switching area 3 to a manufacturing area 2; wherein the formation device 50 is provided with a plurality of formation units 54 that perform a bending process on the spring material by fluid pressure; the base mount 52 is provided with a pressure fluid line 62 that supplies pressure fluid to the formation units 54 provided at the formation device 50, and that is removably connected to each of the formation units 54; and the attachment or removal of the pressure fluid line 62 with respect to the formation device 50 is performed at the device sw

Abstract: The invention relates to a spot welding cap changer (1) with a cap puller (2) and two cap magazines (3, 3A), the cap puller (2) having a gripper (20) with spring-loaded, pivotable jaws (21, 22), which in response to a turning and axial pulling-off movement detaches a spot welding cap (K) of a pincer spot welding head introduced into it from a shaft of the pincer welding head in such a way that it is clamped to prevent it twisting, and the cap magazines (3, 3A) holding spot welding caps respectively in a round cap carrier (31) such that they are circularly arranged in a directed and oriented manner and are respectively transported individually one after the other into an access position against a stop (32) by an advancing force (P).

Abstract: A magazine for spot welding electrodes that stores mini chips and can feed the mini chips one by one. A mini chip storage portion and a cap chip storage portion slidably aligning and storing a plurality of mini chips and a plurality of cap chips are formed such that the mini chip storage portion and cap chip storage portion communicate with each other at one of their ends, where they open to the outside to serve as a supply port. When an arm is inserted into the supply port, a cap chip is mounted to the arm, as well as the cap chip presses the mini chip so that the mini chip is also mounted to the chip base. When the mounting operation is complete, a push-out member pushes the mini chips and cap chips so that the mini chips and cap chips are automatically fed to the supply port.

Abstract: A weld gun in which the first weld arm is fixedly but removably connected to the weld gun body and the second weld arm includes a first arm segment, pivotally mounted at one end thereof on the gun body and pivotally connected at another end thereof to the gun actuator, and a second arm segment fixedly but removably connected atone end thereof to an intermediate portion of the first arm segment. Conversion of the gun from an X axis configuration to a Y axis configuration is achieved by removing the second arm segment from the first arm segment, removing the first weld arm from the body, rotating the second arm segment and the first weld arm through 90°, attaching the first arm to the first arm segment, and connecting the second arm segment to the body.

Abstract: In order to evaluate the welding current for the resistance seam welding of an overlap seam of container bodies, a welding with changing welding current intensity is carried out for a container body of the production series, resulting in a changing welding of the seam, ranging from the welding with a too high temperature to the welding with a too low temperature. The electric energy for this welding is determined several times during this welding and/or the temperature of the weld seam is determined several times and the welding current intensity is determined at which the welding of the individual container body is too cold and the welding current intensity at which the welding is too hot. This determination is based on the determined electric energy values and/or on the determined temperature values and based on this determination a preferred range for the welding current intensity within these limits of too hot and too cold is determined.

Abstract: A weld cap changing tool for removing weld caps from weld shanks includes an elongated shaft portion, a first weld cap removing portion that includes two prongs extending away from the shaft portion to free distal ends, the two prongs of the first weld cap removing portion being separated by a first characteristic gap, and a second weld cap removing portion that includes two prongs extending away from the shaft portion to free distal ends, the two prongs of the second weld cap removing portion being separated by a second characteristic gap. When the weld cap changing tool is in a first engagement position, the first weld cap removing portion engages the first weld cap and, and when in a second engagement position different from the first engagement position, the second weld cap removing portion engages the second weld cap of a different size than the first weld cap.

Abstract: A production line 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 though 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.

Abstract: This invention provides a swing type electrode chip replacement apparatus which enables an electrode chip to be attached/detached without damaging a shank even if the shank is bent. The swing type electrode chip replacement apparatus comprises a fixed plate 20 located in the vicinity of a spot welding machine and a movable plate 21 slidable in the back-forth direction on the fixed plate 20, its front end being swingable in the right-left direction. An attaching unit 1 for attaching an electrode chip 95 to the tip of a shank 90 of a spot welding machine or a magazine of the electrode chip 60 for removing the electrode chip 95 is loaded on this movable plate 21, which is slidable in the back-forth direction and swingable in the right-left direction when the shank 90 comes into contact with the attaching unit 1 or the magazine of electrode chips 60.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spot welding cap changer (1) with a cap puller (2) and two cap magazines (3, 3A), the cap puller (2) having a gripper (20) with spring-loaded, pivotable jaws (21, 22), which in response to a turning and axial pulling-off movement detaches a spot welding cap (K) of a pincer spot welding head introduced into it from a shaft of the pincer welding head in such a way that it is clamped to prevent it twisting, and the cap magazines (3, 3A) holding spot welding caps respectively in a round cap carrier (31) such that they are circularly arranged in a directed and oriented manner and are respectively transported individually one after the other into an access position against a stop (32) by an advancing force (P).

Abstract: There is provided a fixed type electrode tip take-out device capable of solving the problem of irregularities of positions of upper and lower electrode tips by urging a tip magazine to be movable, and fixing the locations of the electrode tips of each group at the portions to be fixed to a welder, thereby taking out the electrode tips from the tip magazine with accuracy. The tip magazine is urged to be movable relative to a base plate by a driving unit, boundary portions of respective through holes are partitioned by elastic boundary walls in which wedges are inserted in the same direction as an axis of each through hole, and lowest end portions of electrode tips of each group housed in the tip magazine are brought into contact with a slide plate fixed to the base plate, and the upper and lower electrode tips of each group located at portions to be fixed to a welder are positioned by stoppers fixed to the base plate.

Abstract: There is provided a fixed type electrode tip removal device capable of reliably removing an electrode tip and realizing full automation of the removal device.

Abstract: In a welding or joining unit (1), in particular for connecting workpieces having any desired spatial forms, at least two tools (12.1 to 12.[lacuna]) are arranged on a turret unit (3) which has a servo axis which can be programmed so as to be optimized with respect to time. Furthermore, the welding or joining unit (1) has a set-down unit (14) and a readjusting unit (19) and also a tool arranged thereon. By rotation of the turret unit (3), the tool (e.g. 12.1) designed for the desired type of connection is brought into position and the connection is produced.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for separating and replacing a cap from a shank of a tip of a welding electrode. The cap and the shank form a peripheral hollow joint that is defined by a recessed end surface of the shank and a back surface of the cap. The apparatus includes a guide frame having a recessed portion sized for receiving the tip of the welding electrode. The apparatus also includes a cap withdrawing tool movably mounted on the guide frame. The tool has two facing wall sections each having a wedge that is inserted in the peripheral hollow joint. The wedge is forced against the back surface of the cap and removes the cap from the shank by means of a driving mechanism that moves the cap withdrawing tool toward the tip of the welding electrode that is engaged in the recessed portion of the guide frame.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for separating and replacing a cap from a shank of a tip of a welding electrode. The cap and the shank form a peripheral hollow joint that is defined by a recessed end surface of the shank and a back surface of the cap. The apparatus includes a guide frame having a recessed portion sized for receiving the tip of the welding electrode. The apparatus also includes a cap withdrawing tool movably mounted on the guide frame. The tool has two facing wall sections each having a wedge that is inserted in the peripheral hollow joint. The wedge is forced against the back surface of the cap and removes the cap from the shank by means of a driving mechanism that moves the cap withdrawing tool toward the tip of the welding electrode that is engaged in the recessed portion of the guide frame.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for resistance welding of objects (39) by a spot welding gun which has a C-shaped arm (9), a front electrode (11), a back electrode (13) and a pneumatic cylinder (21). The back electrode is axially moveable a limited distance by the cylinder. The gun is arranged to clamp the objects between the electrode tips (15, 17) by the cylinder (21) and to provide a welding current to flow between the tips. The back electrode is arranged to be released from, moved axially in relation to, and fastened to the cylinder to enable or simplify positioning the gun so that the electrodes are on each side of the objects, removal of the gun from the welded objects and adjustment of the electrode distance (a) based on the thickness (t) of the objects.

Abstract: A modular welding gun includes a frame and an upper and lower yoke both interconnected with the frame. One of the yokes is movable with respect to the frame. An upper weld arm has one end removably interconnected with the upper yoke and the other end designed to support an electrode. A lower weld arm has one end removably interconnected with the lower yoke and the other end designed to support an electrode. An actuator is operable to move the movable yoke between a welding position and a rest position.

Abstract: A method of operating a welding machine as well as to a welding machine comprising a frame, a first electrode (33) having a fixed position in the frame and a second electrode (35) which is mounted in the frame so as to be movable with respect to the frame, whereby said second electrode (35) can be moved towards the first electrode (33) for welding together components arranged between said two electrodes (33, 35). During displacement of the second electrode (35) from a starting position towards a welding position, the second electrode (35) is moved more rapidly at the beginning of the displacement than at the point where the second electrode is near the position suitable for welding. To obtain said displacement of the second electrode (35), a cam mechanism (10) has been provided between an operating member (12) and a lever (28), which cam mechanism supports the second electrode (35) and is pivotable with respect to the frame.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and a device for automatic exchange of electrode tips for electrodes used during machine point welding, in particular, robot welding. The method during automated exchange of electrode tips during point welding, for example, when robot welding sheet metals, comprising of steps in which an electrode unit comprising holder, shaft and tip is brought into position for removal of the tip and in which the tip is gripped by one gripper (4b), whereby the shaft is gripped by another gripper (4a) and that the grippers are caused to move apart in a straight linear motion demonstrating considerable acceleration, whereby the tip is pulled loose from the shaft.

Abstract: A welding electrode tip dressing apparatus for grinding a pair of electrode tips mounted on two opposite shanks and for removing the electrode tips when they are spent. The dressing apparatus includes a tip grinding unit and a tip removal unit. The tip grinding unit is provided with a cutter so as to grind the pair of electrode tips. The tip removal unit is provided with a removal mechanism so as to remove the pair of electrode tips from shanks holding the electrode tips. The tip grinding unit and the tip removal unit are arranged side by side in an apparatus body and connected to a drive transmission mechanism connected to and driven by a single drive device.

Abstract: A machine is disclosed with interchangeable tooling modules for use in a base operating machine. Disconnectible welding current contactor members connect the tooling module to a power supply/transformer of the base operating machine when the module is installed. The module is movable on a guide between uninstalled and installed locations and the contactor members are closed upon installation of the module. A set of fluid pressure and electrical connector members have complementary mating parts mounted on a module connector plate and on a machine connector plate of the base operating machine. An actuator moves the machine connector plate from a retracted position to an extended position for connecting the complementary connector members after the module is installed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing structure for a welding electrode and a welding head which enable improvement of durability of a welding electrode, improvement of work efficiency in welding, and reduction of time required for welding and also which make it possible to execute welding for a long time with high reliability. In this fixing structure, a fixed section of a welding electrode is inserted via a thermally conductive material into an inserting section of a fixing base and a peripheral surface of the fixed section of the welding electrode is uniformly contacted to the fixing base to fix the welding electrode to the fixing base.

Abstract: A machine is disclosed with interchangeable tooling modules for use in a base operating machine. Disconnectible welding current contactor members connect the tooling module to a power supply/transformer of the base operating machine when the module is installed. The module is movable on a guide between uninstalled and installed locations and the contactor members are closed upon installation of the module. A set of fluid pressure and electrical connector members have complementary mating parts mounted on a module connector plate and on a machine connector plate of the base operating machine. An actuator moves the machine connector plate from a retracted position to an extended position for connecting the complementary connector members after the module is installed.

Abstract: A spot welding machine is disclosed with interchangeable tooling modules for use in a base operating machine. Push/pull welding current contactors connect the tooling module to a transformer on the base operating machine when the module is installed. The module is movable on a guide between uninstalled and installed locations and closes the contactors upon installation of the module. A set of fluid pressure and electrical connector members have complementary mating parts mounted on a module plate and on a machine connector plate of the base operating machine. An actuator moves the machine connector plate from a retracted position to an extended position for connecting the complementary connector members after the module is installed.

Abstract: Devices and methods for removing an electrode tip from a shaft of a resistance welder by turning the electrode tip. A holding member has a center of rotation with a first hole to receive the electrode tip and a claw disposed adjacent the first hole and mounted for rotation between an engagement position wherein at least a portion of the claw is positioned within the first hole to secure the electrode tip, and a disengagement position wherein the at least a portion of the claw is displaced from the first hole. A turning plate has a center of rotation coincident with the center of rotation of the holding member and defines a second hole at the center of rotation.