Spot welding is performed by sending an electrical current through two pieces of metal creating a weld at the spot where the electricity was introduced. Spot welding requires the welder to use two copper electrodes combined with the thickness and density of the metals being joined and how they will react to the introduction of an electrical current. If the welder doesn’t send the correct amount of power through the copper electrodes the metal pieces will not weld. If a welder uses too much electrical current the copper electrodes will burn a hole through the metal.
The use of spot welding allows welders speed, control and the ability to automate the process. The electrical current used in spot welding moves through the electrodes at a rate of milliseconds and produces limited amounts of heat therefore making it less dangerous and requires less energy to perform making safer and more energy conservative than other methods of welding in use today. Spot welding also produces precise control of the current which creates welds that are stronger and longer lasting than other welding methods. Welders can purchase portable spot welding machines for use in automobile repair. Spot welding is also widely used in the automotive industry in the production of automobiles. These welds are typically performed by swiveling robotic arms that are placed along the assembly line. Spot welding allows manufacturers to create precise and strong welds which are highly desired in the manufacturing field.
The most common portable spot welding equipment used consists of two electrodes, an electrical source and water or a brine solution which is pumped to cool the metal after the weld is completed. The throat of the electrodes is adjusted to fit the size and thickness of the metals that are to be joined. To initiate the welding process the welder touches the electrodes to the spot where the weld is desired and the current is released. The amount of time required to perform spot welds varies according to the type of metal being welded but the most common welding times range from .01 to .63 seconds. Once the electrodes have been released and the current has been powered off, the spot weld is instantly covered with either water or the brine mixture to cool the weld area. By cooling the weld area quickly after the weld has been performed allows for welders to be able to handle the metal relatively quickly.
