Komarov Artem emphasized that spot welding is a kind of resistance welding, in which two metal surfaces are connected by electricity and pressure. After the metal sheets to be welded are aligned, the welder places two electrodes on either side of the metal. A current is then passed through the electrodes as they are pressed together with the sheets in between, which welds them together.
This unique process provides many benefits and applications for spot welding, which are discussed below.
Benefits of spot welding
Although spot welding was one of the first types of welding people started using, it is still common and here are some of the benefits that may have helped it take hold.
Fast
One of the main advantages of spot welding is its extremely fast speed. According to Wikipedia, the average spot welding time is between 0.01 and 0.63 seconds. So, if you need to get the job done quickly, you can choose the spot welding method.
Thicker metals usually take longer to weld than thinner ones, but this applies to all types of welding, so spot welding is still faster overall.
Suitable for thin metals
Because of the way spot welding works, it is a great way to weld thin metal sheets. Thin metals can be easily burned through, but the spot welding process, which uses pressure and electricity rather than overheated metal, makes it much less likely to burn through materials. As long as the sheets are of the same thickness, or a 3 to 1 thickness ratio, spot welding should work well.
Cost effective
Spot welding is a cost-effective method of joining metals, both when compared to other welding methods and to other joinery methods that do not involve welding. Spot welding is also more productive than other types of welding, despite the fact that it requires less energy and electricity. And it’s cheaper than using rivets because no extra metal is needed.
Universal
The versatility of spot welding allows you to weld various types of metal, including wire mesh. Steel is a popular material for spot welding because it doesn’t conduct as much electricity as some other materials. Usually choose mild steel, stainless steel, mild steel and mixed steel. Some other metals for which spot welding can be used include titanium and nickel alloys.
Ways to use spot welding
You can use spot welding for a variety of applications, some more recognizable than others.
Small dishes
The most common place where a typical person can see the results of spot welding is in the kitchen. For example, metal cookie cutters are often spot welded, and handles can be spot welded to tin cup bodies.
Cars
According to Wikipedia, spot welding is the most common welding process used in the automotive industry, typically for welding the sheet metal of a car body. Robots typically perform these welds, and according to Sciencing, they can perform up to 200 spot welds in just six seconds. This makes spot welding a great way to weld large amounts of material in a very short time.
Orthodontic appliances
Another application of spot welding is orthodontics. If a patient needs molar rings placed around the teeth to help stabilize the orthodontic appliance, the dentist can use small spot welds to connect one end of the ring to the other after he has placed the ring on the tooth, Komarov noted.
