Spot welding

1. Principle

2. Equipment

3. How to set parameters

4. Maintenance
Pressurization
Spot welding
Spot welding is the process that two metal plates are pinched between the pure copper or
copper alloy rod shaped electrodes and a large current is flown through the electrodes for a
short period of time while two metal plates are pressurized strongly to produce round
shaped nugget (after solidification of weld metal) .

* The nugget part cannot be seen from the outside and only slight concave part that has been
pushed by the electrode remains.
Controller
Transformer
Copper alloy
electrode
Copper alloy
electrode
Pressurization
Welding part
Rod shaped
electrode
87
BASICS
Principle
Q Joule heat (Cal)
t Time ( sec )
J Current density (A/mm2)
S Area (mm2)
I Current (A)
Q is in proportion to J
Q is in proportion to t
J is in inverse proportion to S
2
J is in proportion to I
2
CURRENT SETTING is very important
TIP DIA CONTROLL is very important
WELDING TIME SETTING is important
Temperature
Melting point
Around 1500 (Iron)
Q (Joule heat)
melts material
I = V / R
R is determined by Pressure

Pressure SETTING is important
Current
Burning
Flash N
u
g
g
e
t

D
I
A

Current effect
TIP DIA
N
u
g
g
e
t

D
I
A

Burning
Flash
Tip DIA effect
N
u
g
g
e
t

D
I
A

Pressure
Flash
Burning
Pressure effect
N
u
g
g
e
t

D
I
A

Welding time
Electricity
Consumption
Welding time effect
L Overall length (cm) t Time (sec.)
S Cross-sectional area (cm
2
) I Current (A)
R Resistance ()
Specific resistance (volume resistivity) (cm)
Calorific value of resistance of columnar object
The following shows the calorific value Q (cal) when
the current (I) is flown for t sec.
Resistance heating
I
L
S
Q =0.24I
2
Rt (cal)

=0.24I
2
L/St (cal)

=0.24 I
2
/S
2
LS
2
/St (cal)

=0.24 (I/S)
2
LSt (cal)

=0.24 J
2
Vt (cal)

Current density J= I/S (A/cm
2
) Volume V = LS (cm
3
)
Q is in proportion to J
J is in inverse proportion to S
2
J is in proportion to I
2
I = V / R
Principle
Support document
Condition to do spot welding
Public
Generator
1. Stable in-coming Voltage
2. Enough capacity for distributing power to machines
3. Electricity feedback controller
with POKAYOKE function
4. Tip cooling water supply
5. Lathing machine to maintain Tip DIA
Knowledge & awareness about risk of spot welding
No
Quit spot welding
Yes
How to set parameters
1. Know thickness to be welded, from DRG

2. Decide DIA of TIP based on STD


3. Decide type of TIP

4. Set current , welding time and pressure temporary , based on STD


5. Do breakage test and Check Nugget DIA, and appearance

6. If NG then go back to 4

7. If OK enough then continues test up to breakage to happen

8. TIP maintenance frequency will be half of how many times can be welded
TIP DIA
N
u
g
g
e
t

D
I
A

Burning
Flash
Tip DIA effect
Main factor
First factor
Tuning
How to maintain Quality and parameters
Date Time Part No Part No
Current (KA)
Welding
Time
Air pressure TIP Change Nugget DIA
Judgment Sign Approver
Day of
Approval
9.50.2 20 33.5 Every 200 hits 3.8
OK or NG
OK or NG
OK or NG
OK or NG
OK or NG
OK or NG
OK or NG
OK or NG
OK or NG
OK or NG
OK or NG
Calibration of Current controller > once / year
Change points control
Check timing must contains at least below timings

Start of Job is Must
End of job is Must
Before Tip change
After Tip change
Thickness Min Average
0.8 2.7 3.1
1 3 3.5
1.2 3.3 3.8
1.6 3.8 4.4
2 4.2 5
2.3 4.5 5.3
2.6 4.8 5.6
3.2 5.3 6.3
CLASS C
DIA of Nugget
JIS - Z - 3140
3 t

CHECK SHEET




SPARE TIP
Counter


Welding defects and causes
Surface flash
Excessive
concave
Insufficient pressure
Too much current
Foreign body between sheets
Tip DIA too narrow
Cause of defect
Standard
nugget shape
Tip is too narrow or too much current
Inside flash
Tip is too narrow or too much current
No nugget / No fusion which
have occurred in Japan
1. Forgetting to change PRG when part changed
2. Power capacity was not enough
3. Operator changed current due to flash
( Parameter was not set properly)
4. TIP DIA was controlled by filing & visual check
5. Current separation due to touching of JIG to electrode
3. Part names of resistance welding equipment
Spot welding
Part names
of equipment
Controller
Microcomputer
controlled
constant current
timer
Cylinder
Pressure
gauge
Cooling water
Water supply port
Drain port
Tip holder
Tip
Foot switch
Toroidal coil
Secondary
conductor (shunt)
Arm
92

97
(3) Spot intervals
Strength of spot welding joint and shunting current
10 20 30 40 50 100 200 300 400
Interval between spots (mm)
T
e
n
s
i
l
e

s
h
e
a
r
i
n
g

s
t
r
e
n
g
t
h

(
k
g
f
)

Shunting current by spot welding
Existing welding
spot
Reactive current
Interval between the spots is approx. 17
times larger than the sheet thickness.
As the plate thickness is thicker, the effect is larger.
Recommended by RWMA.
120
500
1000
2000
3000
4000
400
300
200
100
1mm+1mm
(Existing welding spot: 1)
1mm+1mm
(Existing welding spot: 2)
3.2mm+3.2mm
(Existing welding spot: 2)
3.2mm+3.2mm
(Existing
welding spot: 1)
11. Points to note in designing
Points to note in designing
(2) Edge distance
(3) Interval
between spots
(1) Nugget diameter D = (4 to 6)T
1/2
(Finally, it is important to also consider the cost.)
10 times larger than the sheet thickness.
17 times larger than the sheet thickness (Great care is needed when
the sheet thickness is large.)
10t 17t
(4 to 6)t
(3) Interval between spots
121
11. Points to note in designing