What is spot welding?
Spot welding is a process in which electric current is passed through two pieces of metal at a magnitude that will create the write ammount of heat to melt the material and form a weld. A spot welding machine has two electrode units in the vertical position where the space in between them is where your proposed material to be welded will go. Electrodes are basically electrical conductors, which makes sense since electric current is what will be passed through them to create this Sport Weld. In most cases, the electrodes will be made of copper and take on a cylindrical shape to allow for a channel in the center, which accomodates a flow of air which cools the material that has just been Spot Welded. The electrodes pass the electric current through the working material and provide a cooling mechanism, but they also hold the working material in place. Usually when Spot Welding, the working material is less than 1 1/4" thick.
There are several things to take into account when determining the amount of energy needed to produce the appropriate weld. First the amplitude of the energy being applied needs to be determined. Following that, the duration of exposing the working material to that current depends on several things: the thickness of the material, the properties of the material, and the type of electrodes. It was mentioned earlier that the electrodes are usually copper, but if they aren’t then that will play a role in this phase of the Spot Welding process. There are some great benefits to Spot Welding. Instead of taking the time to heat up your working material to accept the welds that you would apply in other welding procedures, the Spot Welding process will provide a small weld in a fraction of a second. This can then be repeated down the line for as many or as little welds that are uniform in size and practically effortless, as the machine and the electric current will do most of the work!
It is important to apply the correct amount of energy in this process though. If not enough current is sent through the working material then the metal will not be melted or a poor weld will have been created. Respectively, too much current will result in molten material being spewed all over and/or holes will be formed in the working material as opposed to the weld that you were most likely looking for. If done correctly though, Spot Welding is a quick and efficient form of welding that saves time, energy, and produces clean, professional welds.
