INTRODUCTION OF

SPOT WELDING
NAWOOTEC.CO.,LTD

3-23, Jooan 5-Dong, Nam-Ku, Inchon, 402-205 Korea

TEL : 82-32-860-2242~4 / FAX : 82-32-866-9988
Web Site : www.nawootec.com
 Table of Contents

• Principle of resistance spot welding

• 4 factors of spot welding
• Factors that affect spot welding
• Rated capacity and Duty of spot welder
• Spare parts management of spot welder
• Type of spot weld defects
• Introduction to control equipment of spot welding
1. The principle of resistance spot welding
• Definition : The welding method which uses fusion heat generated at
contact part due to metal’s peculiar resistance, and at the same time
applies pressure.
• Principle : Using the Joule’s law

<Secondary circuit of spot welder> <Electrical equivalent circuit>

• Heat at the resistance, R :
Q = 0.24 × I2 × R× t [cal]
I : welding current [A]
R : resistance of work-piece [μΩ]
t : welding time [sec]
• The resistance of metal and heat at unit volume

• Resistance : R = ρℓ/s

• Current density
δ = I/s
• Heat
Q = 0.24 I2 R t
= 0.24 δ 2 ρsℓt
• Heat per unit volume
q = Q/v
ρ : resistance [μΩ-cm] = 0.24 δ 2 ρt
ℓ : length [cm] • Temperature per unit volume
s : unit area [cm2]
Θ = q/(cρ)
δ: current density [A/cm2]
= 0.24 δ 2 ρt/(cρ)
q : heat per at unit volume
[cal/cm2]
v : volume [cm3]
c : specific heat of metal
[cal/g℃]
σ : density of metal [g/cm2]
• Property of metals
Temp.
Thermal
Coefficient of
Resistance conductivity Specific heat Melting point
resistance Density
Metal [cal/cm·
[μ Ω -cm] [cal/g ℃] [℃]
2
[×10 /℃]
-3 [g/cm ]
sec ℃]
(0 ~ 100℃)

Ag 1.63 4.1 1.0 10.49 0.056 960

Cu 1.67 3.93 0.94 8.96 0.092 1083

Al 2.81 4.03 0.53 2.7 0.215 660

Mg 4.6 4.20 0.38 1.74 0.25 650

Mo 5.14 4.20 0.35 10.2 0.061 2625

Zn 5.75 4.23 0.27 7.13 0.092 419

Ni 7.24 6.81 0.22 8.90 0.105 1455

Fe 9.71 6.51 0.18 7.87 0.11 1539

Pb 22 3.36 0.083 11.34 0.031 327

• Resistance vs temperature

ρ= ρ0(1+αθ)
ρ : Resistance, when temperature is θ
ρ0 : Resistance, when temperature is θ0
α : Temperature coefficient of resistance
(Fe : 6.51×10-3 /℃)

• Relation between resistance and current according to the area

of welding part
Squeeze Area(S) : small
⇒ Resistance(R) : high
state Length(l) : long

Melting Area(S’ ) : large

⇒ Resistance(R) : low
state Length(l’ ) : short
2. 4 factors of spot welding

Resistance(R), Welding time(t), Welding current(A), Welding force(P)

• What is resistance of the welded part?

This is the metal resistance. In spot welding, using this resistance,
we weld metals without filler metal

resistance

time
<The curve of dynamic resistance during spot welding>
• Weldability according to Resistance(W)

F : Melting point[℃]
ρ
W= K : Thermal conductivity[cal/cm/cm2/℃]
F·K ρ : Resistance[μΩ-cm]

• The material which has high melting point needs high heat
• To release heat, the material which has low resistance needs high current
• The material which has high thermal conductivity needs high current

< Weldability of metals>

Thermal
Resistance Melting point
Metal conductivity Weldability
[μ Ω -cm] [℃]
[cal/cm · sec ℃]

Pure iron 9.71 0.18 1539 3.5

Stainless steel 70 0.038 1415 130

Al 2.81 0.53 660 0.8

Cu 1.67 0.94 1083 0.2

• What is the welding time?

This is including charge to melt work-piece, squeeze time to solidify

the work-piece, up-slope time, welding time and hold time.

The heat at welded part is proportional to

the welding time, but the heat wasted at
the near of welded part is proportional to
the welding time.

Mild steel plate : 1 mm

Welding force : 250 kg
Welding current : 8,800 A

<The effect of welding time that affects to welded strength>

• What is welding current?

Welding current is the energy source to melt work piece. Welding current
control methods are constant current control, voltage compensation
control, constant power control, etc.

Current[K Limit of tip stuck

A] Change of welding
current

Initial Limit of separation

value

Number of
Current density
Constant weld

Number of
weld
• What is the welding force?

The welding force between electrode

needs to obtain specific current density,
when we weld, and affects directly the
formation of nugget.
This is the important factor to reduce weld
defects inside of melted part by cooled
with the state of pressing, after
transparent current.

Proper welding force in the spot welding

of mild steel plate

P = 2.75·10-6 ·I2 --- (An empirical formula)

<Welding force vs welding current>
•What is heat ratio?
•Heat ratio is the ratio of welding current to the maximum output current from
transformer, when maximum current output, this is the 100% of heat ratio.

Current
Heat ratio = [%] Normal Heat ratio : 40∼80 %
Max. current

•Heat ratio is changed, when affected by the change of input voltage

ⓐ Input voltage down → ⓑ Heat ratio up → ⓒ Welding current reduce
•Example, when used heat ratio is 80%, if input voltage is reduced by 30%,
current is reduced by the degree between extra ratio (20%) and voltage reduction
(30%).
•Factor causing heat ratio to increase
- When welding current is higher than specification.
- When extra ratio is not enough in designing.
- When voltage drop is high at power cable. (from distribution panel to
transformer)
- When line voltage is reduced because of using with many welders.
- In case of using kickless cable, when the kickless cable wear happens highly.
• Relation between input voltage and heat ratio

Input voltage drop

Current supply ratio

change

Welding current change

3. Factor that affects spot welding
• From the equation, Q(heat) = 0.24 I2 R t between electrodes

Work-piece Weldin Welding force Weldin End

(resistance) g (distance between g diameter
current electrodes) time of
electrodes
Q = 0.96·ρ·I2·ℓ·t/(π·d2)

When increased more than normal state When decreased less than normal state

Welding
Expulsion occurs or tip stuck occurs Separation of the welded parts
current

Welding force Separation of the welded part Expulsion occurs or tip stuck occurs

Welding
Expulsion occurs or tip stuck occurs Separation of the welded part
time

End diameter
Separation of the welded part Separation of the welded part
of electrode
4. Rated capacity and Duty of spot welder

• Rated capacity : Rated capacity of welding transformer is said that it is not

continuous usage but duty usage and duty cycle is 50 %.
• Duty(α) : Duty is the ratio of total working per unit time to welding current

(Melting time per weld)·(Number of welds)

α= · 100 %
Total time
• Permitted duty : Permitted duty is the maximum duty that can be used with
the regulated current. We should not weld above permitted duty

Permitted duty (α A) ≥ Duty (α)

• If duty is over than permitted duty
- Transformer can be damaged or the safety of welding current can not be obtained.
- SCR(thyristor) in T/C can be damaged
- Damage of input part and wear in advance at the secondary circuit(such as kickless
cable, gun) can be occurred
• Relation between Permitted Duty and Current
5. Spare parts management of spot welder

• Management of electrode

Shape of electrode Dressing period Dressing tool Dressing method

· Tip dressor · M anual

120 hit / 1 time
· A uto tip dressor · A uto

· Tip dressor · M anual

240 hit / 1 time
· A uto tip dressor · A uto

· Tip dressor · M anual

1200 hit / 1 time
· A uto tip dressor · A uto

180 hit / 1 time · A uto tip dressor · A uto

240 hit / 1 time · f ile · M anual

• Management of Kickless cable in work field

C h eck p o in t C h eck p erio d C h eck m eth o d

1 . P ressin g state o f term in al T ig h tly fasten b o lt an d n u t

O v er 1 tim e/m o n th
co n n e cto r C h eck th e state w ith certain to o l

M easu rem en t b y lo w resistan ce m eter

2 . R esistan c e o f cab le O v er 1 tim e/w eek
- C h an g e c ab le w hesistan
en r ce is ch an g ed su d d en ly

M easu rem en t b y m eg a tester

3 . Iso latio n resista n c e o f cab leO v er 1 tim e/w eek
- Ov er 5 MΩ

U sin g th e flo w m eter a n d th erm o m eter

- C o o lin g w ater flo w : o v er 5 l/m in
4 . F lo w in g q u an tity o f co o lin g
O v er 1 tim e/m o n th- In p u t tem p . : less
℃2 5
w a ter
℃45
- O u tp u t tem p . : less

5 . W ear state o f co o lin g h o se O v er 1 tim e/w eekE y e in sp ectio n

• Management of cooling water

Name Remark
Over 100KVA 5ℓ /min
Transformer
Less 100KVA 6ℓ /min
SCR of timer contactor (thyristor) 6ℓ /min
Kickless cable 5ℓ /min

Tip base 1.8ℓ /min

(1500A)

Cap tip & 1.5ℓ /min

Tip base (2000A)
Current in parenthesis is
Electrode continuous equivalent
current
Cap tip 1.8ℓ /min
(Φ 13) (2900A)

cap tip 3ℓ /min

(Φ 16) (4100A)
6. Type of spot weld defects

• Type of defect
• Weld defects

Condition Shape of nugget Cause

· S hortage of added pressure

· O v er supply of current and time
Expulsion
· I m purity at work piece
· I nsufficient contacting area at the end of electrode

· I nsufficient contacting area at the end of electrode

Surface flash
· O v er current flowing to applied pressure

· I nsufficient contacting area at the end of electrode

Indentation · H igh welding force
· H igh current

· S hortage of added pressure

Blow hole · L arge area of end electrode
· S hortage of hold time

· S hortage of current or time

Small nugget size
· H igh welding force
• Weld defects

Condition Shape of nugget Cause

· S hortage of welding force

Crack · S hortage of hold time
· Too enough at contacting area of electrode

Exess melting · H igh current, high cycle time

inside · U sing improper material of electrode

Unbalance of · U n balance of end shape of electrodes

melting inside · D ifferent material between electrodes

Nugget · M ismatch of electrodes

deformation · M ismatch of upper and lower tip

Shortage of · S hortage of current or time

melting inside · I nsufficient contacting area at the end of electrode
• The standard shape of nugget

INDENTATION
: G·M·T × 1/10

SHEET
SEPARATION(max.)
: G·M·T × 1/10

G·M·T : Governing
Metal
Thickness
7. Introduction to control equipment of spot welding

Type and control functions of DECOMSTAR-70 series

RWC -

Type Program entry Current sensor Network

70 72 73 P : Panel entry C : Primary N : Network
type
76 78 79 R : Remote entry C : Compact T : Secondary
Special Separation
S : Standard
Detection Control of Detection of Detection of
features Standard of fault Auto typeNo. of
of tip electrode wear of K- hort of K-
function messages stepper sequences
stuck force cable cable
Type output

DECOMSTAR-70 ○ 4/15

DECOMSTAR-72 ○ ○ ○ ○ 4/15

DECOMSTAR-73 ○ ○ ○ 4/15

DECOMSTAR-76 ○ ○ ○ ○ 4/15

DECOMSTAR-78 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 4/15

DECOMSTAR-79 ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ 5/31