Seam Welding

Seam Welding
Lesson Objectives When you finish this lesson you will understand: The various forms of seam welding Nugget formation mechanisms Quality testing of Seam Welds Learning Activities 1. View Slides; 2. Read Notes, 3. Listen to lecture 4. Do on-line workbook 5. Homework

Keywords Roll Spot Weld, Overlapping Seam Weld, Continuous Seam Weld, Lap Seam Weld, Mash Seam Weld, Metal Finish Seam Weld, Butt Seam Weld, Foil Butt Seam Weld, Projection Seam Weld, Weld Current-Pulse Time, Welding Speed, Overlap Distance, Nugget Formation, Seam Weldability, Pillow Test

Introduction to Resistance Seam Welding

Roll Spot Weld Upper Electrode Wheel Knurl or Friction Drive Wheel Overlapping Seam Weld

Continuous Seam Weld Workpiece

Throat
[Reference: Welding Handbook, Volume 2, p.553, AWS]

Lower Electrode Wheel

Lap Seam Weld

Electrodes Overlapping Weld Nuggets

Travel

Front view

Side View

[Reference: Welding Handbook, Volume 2, p.554, AWS]

Effect of Weld Current and Pulse Timing

3 on, 2 off (60%)

4 on, 3 off (57%)

6 on, 5 off (54%)

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 23

Effect of Cool Time (Heat %) on Nugget Properties

@ 6 Cycle Heat

75%

66%

60%

54%

50%

46% Heat

6 on, 5 off (54%)

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 23

Effect of Electrode Force

Increased Electrode Force increases nugget penetration

Increased Electrode Force causes increase in nugget width while reducing penetration, more electrode cooling

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 23

Welding Speed

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 23

Seam Welding Multiple Thickness Sheets

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 23

Improper selection of Parameters Leads to Porosity in Weld

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 23

Mash Seam Weld

Slightly Lapped Sheets
Wide, Flat Electrodes

Weld Nuggets

Before welding

After Welding

[Reference: Welding Handbook, Volume 2, p.554, AWS]

Effect of Sheet Overlap on Mash Lap Joint properties

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 21

Effect of Electrode Force on Mash Seam Weld

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 21

Metal Finish Seam Weld

Chamfered Electrode Finish Side

Flash
Broad, Flat Electrode

Before Welding

After Welding

[Reference: Welding Handbook, Volume 2, p.554, AWS]

Effect of Weld Current and Electrode Force on Finish Seam Welds

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 24

Effect of Current on Metal Finish Seam Weld

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 21

Recommended Sheet Positioning

Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 24

ASM Handbook Vol6, 1993

Porter, Galvanizing and welding structural steel, Metal Construction, Nov 1983

ASM Handbook Vol6, 1993

ASM Handbook Vol6, 1993

Nugget Formation in Continuous Seam Weld

Waddell, Mechanism of weld formation, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Aug 1995

Stage 1 Takes 1 - 4 cycles, Increased resistance due to increased temp outweighs reduction in resistance due to better surface contact through asperity softening and surface oxide breakdown Peak occurs earlier with thinner materials

Resistance Curve for Establishment of Leading Edge of a Continuous Nugget

Waddell, Mechanism of weld formation, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Aug 1995

Stage 2 Drop in resistance because of current shunting into the mushy and solid state bonded region

Waddell, Mechanism of weld formation, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Aug 1995

Stage 3 Instability in current path, nugget approaching a steady state growth mode

Waddell, Mechanism of weld formation, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Aug 1995

Stage 1 Nugget Initiates

Stage 2 Nugget Moves Toward Exit

Stage 3 Approaching Steady State

Stage 4 Steady State Growth of Nugget until either expulsion or current off time and new nugget formation

Waddell, Mechanism of weld formation, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Aug 1995

Particular Interest in Steady State Region

Actual Data
(effect of Speed)

2 m/min

4 m/mim

Attorre, Heat Development in Resistance Seam Weldi Ironmaking and Steelmaking, 1996

At Lower Speeds

At Higher Speed Increased Current Ahead of nugget Less Heat Extracted through Electrode Larger thru Sheet Nugget Growth
Waddell, Mechanism of weld formation, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Aug 1995

Through Sheet Nugget Growth 2 m/min

6 m/min

16 m/min
Waddell, Mechanism of weld formation, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Aug 1995

Factors Promoting Thru Thickness Growth

High Welding Speeds Increased Sheet Metal Thickness (less electrode cooling) Increased Sheet Metal Resistivity Increased Force (increased Electrode Arc Contact-Current Length) Increased Current

Steady State Heat Flow Patterns

(Examine HAZ in Front of Nugget Formation)

Exit
HAZ

Enter Type A
Increased Speed

Nugget

Length of Heat Zone

Nugget

HAZ

Type B
Unstable Transition Pattern

Type C
Nugget HAZ

Heat Zone Distance

Sheet Thickness 0.7 mm

1.2 mm
2.0 mm

For Type A Pattern

Welding Speed

2 m/min

10 m/min
At High Speeds, Current Flow and Heat Generation Extended to Sheet Surface

Higher Speeds move from A to C

Waddell, Mechanism of weld formation, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Aug 1995

Exit End

Enter End

Transverse

Longitudinal

Higher Speeds Result in Nugget Moving toward Exit End and Expulsion on Exit

Waddell, Mechanism of weld formation, Welding and Metal Fabrication, Aug 1995

Increased Electrode Force

Contact Area

Nugget Moves Back Heat Zone Increases

Increased Indentation

Nugget Formation in Pulsed Welds

ASM Handbook Vol6, 1993

Schematic of seam weld. Length of electrode footprint holds 3 welds

ASM Handbook Vol6, 1993

Irregular nuggets irregular pulses that does not give time for heat flow
ASM Handbook Vol6, 1993

RSW Certification Training Class, Boeing

Series of Overlapping Nuggets

Dynamic Resistance

Continuous Seam Weld

Time
Attorre, The influence of welding parameters on formation of solute bands, Welding In the World, Vol37, 1996

Parameter (Lobe) Curves for Seam Weld

Pulsed Current

No Cooling Between Continuous Pulses in Continuous Therefore Lower Current

Current

Porter, Galvanizing and welding structural steel, Metal Construction, Nov 1983

Expulsion or Overheating

Speed Limited for Pulse or Continuous Current Options

Minimum Condition for Continuous Weld

Gould, Resistance Seam Weldabilit, Report MR9112, EWI, 1991

What About Coated Sheets?

Resistance Seam Weldability of Low-Carbon Steel Lower Speed

Surface Eruption, Cu Contamination Cracking Higher Current

Non-Continuous Seam

Uncoated Steel

Hot-Dipped Galvanized
AWS Welding Handbook , Vol 4, 1998

Entry Exit
Expulsion

Weld

Coating

Coating Melts and Extrudes Out

High Speed

Peterson, High Speed Seam Welding.. AWS Sheet Metal Welding Conf. VI, 1994

Coated Steels have lower contact resistance delaying heating until coating is removed thus slower speeds are required to get coating out

Peterson, High Speed Seam Welding.. AWS Sheet Metal Welding Conf. VI, 1994

Factors Limiting Travel Speed

Bulk Resistivity
The higher the bulk resistivity of the material, the higher the heating (H=I2Rt) and thus the higher the travel speed possible

Current Density
As travel speed increases, more material is presented to the rolls per half cycle of current thus reaching a limit to the current density in the part

Conductive Coating Materials

When conductive coatings are present at the faying surface, they offer an increased shut path for current and thus also reduce current density. Welding takes place when these coatings are melted and extruded out of the weld zone.

Expulsion
With increased travel speed, complete nugget formation is delayed until the weld forms outside the pressure influence of the rolls (see next slide) and expulsion is easier.

Projection Seam Welds

Experimental Procedure to Maximize Current Density

Peterson, High Speed Seam Welding.. AWS Sheet Metal Welding Conf. VI, 1994

Peterson, High Speed Seam Welding.. AWS Sheet Metal Welding Conf. VI, 1994

Seam Weld Quality Tests

Tensile Tests

Pillow Tests
Resistance Welder Manufacturers Association Bulletin # 21

Typical data from Pillow Testing

6 x 6 inch Pillow 6 x 10 inch Pillow

Douglas Process Standard DPS 10.800, McDonnell Douglas Corp, 1996

Seam Welding