Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering (2018) 40:204

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40430-018-1102-z (0123456789().,-volV)(0123456789().
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TECHNICAL PAPER

Converting the pneumatic- to servo-based system in resistance spot

welding: analyzing the dissimilar weld joints for two welding schemes
Nachimani Charde1

Received: 3 June 2016 / Accepted: 12 October 2017 / Published online: 22 March 2018
Ó The Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering 2018

Abstract
This experimental investigation analyzes the performance of two types of electrode-actuating systems, pertaining to
welding current increments in resistance spot welding. Alternating current (AC) waveform, 75 kVA apparent power and
C-typed body frame of a welding machine are engaged to undertake the entire experiment. Initially, the pneumatic-
supported compression technique is employed to weld the dissimilar combinations of metal sheets; the carbon steel and
stainless steel in this case. Since the pneumatic cylinder consumes reasonable amount of time to operate, it is limited to
handle the single-periodic AC waveform which is designated as the single current and single force (SISF) welding scheme.
As the pneumatic-based system is mechanically redesigned and refitted for the servo-supported compression, thereafter it
paved ways to manipulate the compression variables as to support the dual current and dual force (DIDF) welding
scheme in addition to the original SISF welding scheme. After the successful attempts for both schemes, the welded
samples underwent the tensile test, hardness test, post-crack pattern recognition and finally subjected to the metallurgical
observation to characterize the differences and anomalies. The result shows that the weld formations have been greatly
improved in servo system for the SISF and DIDF compared to the pneumatic SISF welding scheme.

Keywords Spot welding
Electrode actuation system
Servo and pneumatic system

1 Introduction quest of this research. Hence, dissimilar welds have been

As the reliability of the force profiles is always debated in
resistance spot welding, a novel approach has been carried
out in this research study [1–3]. This attempt is a timely
needed to clarify the doubt among researchers as it can
obviously benefit the mass production of spot welds.
Automotive industries such as BMW, Ford EU, Opel and
few other companies are still using the pneumatic cylinders
meanwhile the Asian automotive manufacturers such as the
Honda, Toyota, Nissan and some others have already
started to use servo-based systems to produce spot welds.
What are the distinguishable and pertinent improvements
between these two compressing system are the primary
Technical Editor: Sadek C. Absi Alfaro.
& Nachimani Charde
dr.nachimani@yahoo.com
1
Advan-kt Research and Development, No. 26, Hala Pulai 7,
Bandar Pulai Jaya, 31300 Kampung Kepayang, Perak,
Malaysia
welded using common machine with two different com-
pressions. An AC-waveform, 75 kVA of apparent power
with pneumatically-fitted welding machine was redesigned
to fit the servo-based electrode-actuating mechanism. The
regulation of welding current against the welding time is
again and again analyzed for both systems under the single
current and single force (SISF) welding scheme and sub-
sequently the dual current and dual force (DIDF) welding
scheme is introduced after the conversion for better per-
formance. Figure 1 illustrates the basic setup of SISF
versus DIDF welding schemes. With the electrode actua-
tion performance in mind, dissimilar steels of carbon steels
and stainless steels are welded to characterize the weld
growth [4, 5]. As such the regular tests such as the tensile
test, hardness test, post-crack pattern recognition and
metallurgical tests have been carried out to distinguish the
profound changes.

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Fig. 1 Welding schemes
2 Experimental
Welding samples are prepared by carbon steel and 304L
stainless steel materials separately, with a rectangular-
shape sheet of sizes, that of 200 mm in length by 25 mm in
width using 1 mm thickness sheet. Initially the welding
processes are held using pneumatic-controlled cylinder
with which the welding lobe limits are established for
welding current against welding time in SISF welding
scheme; see Fig. 2 for picture representation. Similar
welding scheme is carried out after the up-gradation of
servo-based system and consequently Fig. 3 is illustrated.
Moreover, the dual current and dual force (DIDF) welding
scheme is introduced after the up-gradation as to improve
the weld growth relatively. So the Fig. 2 should be com-
pared with Fig. 3 while both figures should be concurrently
compared with the Fig. 4 as to see the improvement,
respectively. As can been seen from Figs. 2, 3 and 4 that
the acceptable weld regions are marked with green circles
to denote the round tips while color represents good
quality. Thus, it has been enclosed with continuous line to
represent the limit of working window. Detailed explana-
tions about the colors’ representation and circles are given
in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 legends, respectively. With the use of
these welding lobes’ limits, three welding combinations of
welding time, welding current, constant compressing force
and unchanged electrode tips are, therefore, selected.
Fig. 2 Welding lobe diagram
(pneumatic SISF welding
scheme)
123
The entire welding process is accomplished in accor-
dance with the combinations of process-tuning parameters,
which are marked with ‘X’ on the spot in the welding lobes.
Seven welded pairs are developed for each weld schedule
as the first five pairs being allocated to the tensile test, sixth
one is used for hardness test and the final one is used for
metallurgical observation. As for the hardness test and
tensile test, the Rockwell hardness tester using scale B and
100 kN tensile test machine are engaged to complete the
experiments. The V2A etchant which contains 100 ml of
water, 100 ml of hydrochloric acid and 10 ml of nitric acid
is applied to etch the well-prepared and weld-polished
bakelite samples.
3 Results and discussion
3.1 Working windows of the welding lobe
diagrams
While assessing the acceptable weld combinations of
welding lobe diagrams, it is found that the servo-based
DIDF welding scheme has improved the working regions
remarkably. Literally the working window has been
widened up for good welds while shifting the linear pat-
terns for lower possible combinations of process parame-
ters. Look at the green-colored circles in the welding lobe
diagrams of both systems (Figs. 2, 3, 4) with respect to its
columns and rows for basic pattern. In pneumatic-based
system, the welding current against welding time set has
produced 21 good welds, whereas in the servo-based sys-
tem, it has produced 22 good welds for the SISF welding
scheme. In the servo-based DIDF welding scheme, the
welding current against welding time set has produced 41
good welds. There is a noticeable and profound improve-
ment for good welds in servo-based system as it increases
42% of the overall performance. There are discernible
increments of weld diameters as listed in Table 1,
Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering (2018) 40:204 Page 3 of 12 204

Fig. 3 Welding lobe diagram

(servo SISF welding scheme)

Fig. 4 Welding lobe diagram

(servo DIDF welding scheme)

Table 1 Parameter sets and

Moderately good weld Good welds Expulsion welds
corresponding average diameter
No Diameter (mm) No Diameter (mm) No Diameter (mm)
CS SS CS SS CS SS

Pneumatic SISF 9 3.50 4.50 21 4.00 5.00 7 5.00 5.50

Servo SISF 6 3.50 4.50 32 5.00 5.50 8 5.50 6.50
Servo DIDF 7 3.50 4.50 41 5.00 5.50 8 6.00 7.00

including the moderately good welds and also the light
expulsion welds.
It should be noted here that the critical weld growth of
stainless steel starts at 4H t and carbon steel starts at 3H t;
where t stands for the thickness of base metal [6, 7].
Although the critical weld growth of stainless steel starts at
4.00 mm for 1 mm thickness and carbon steel starts at
3.00 mm for 1 mm thickness of two sheets, the servo-based
system has successfully extended the light expulsion limit
until it attains a wider length about 6.00 mm on CS side
and 7 mm of SS side. This factor has to be also seen in
another corner because the electrode tip’s original diameter
was just 5 mm, as a matter of fact. If the electrode tip is
5 mm of diameter and then the possibility of weld
indentation has to be higher enough if the molten area is
diffused up to 6 mm. This factor has been predominantly
handled in the servo-based system due to force profiles’
consistencies and also a pre-solidified process.
3.2 Weld growth of different welding schemes
and dissimilar electrode systems
Weld growth is an important factor in resistance spot
welding as it establishes the bonding strength between the
welded counterparts [8]. Thus, if bigger the fused areas
then better the bonding strength will be. Increment of the
electric current will proportionally enlarge the molten areas
because heat generation (Q = I2Rt) will directly be

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responsible for the heat diffusion at the faying surfaces of
any materials. However, the different electrode-pressing
mechanism influences heat diffusion, which is the primary
component of resistance welding [9]. A few macrographs
of two types of pressing mechanism with two types of
welding schemes are shown below in Figs. 5, 6 and 7
severally. The pneumatic-based SISF welding scheme has
experienced force deficiencies, so regular pores or voids
being noticed across the fusion zones. Besides the heat
imbalances for dissimilar weld joints are significantly
higher in the pneumatic SISF welding scheme. On con-
trary, the servo-based SISF and DIDF welding schemes
have slightly enlarged fusion zones for the equal setup. In
servo-based system, the force exertion has been improved
relatively so the intrinsic pores or voids are completely
removed as a result. Another factor for this sort of
achievement is that the servo shaft has been enabled with
magnetic locking system during the welding process.
As for the pneumatic-based SISF welding scheme is
concerned, the weld bead starts at 4.466 mm for the setup
of 3 kN, 10 cycles, 5-mm tips and 6 kA process parameter.
The process tuning starts here and exactly the same
parameters are sustained for the servo-based system, in
which the weld growth has enlarged almost up to
4.619 mm. The corresponding improvement is now about
3.4%. Similar calculation can be done to distinguish the 7
and 8 kA weld formations for both the electrode actuation
systems. The improvements are about 6% for 7 kA and
4.4% for 8 kA, for the current increment. As the DIDF
welding scheme is introduced, the weld growth has been
enhanced to 4.805, 5.017 and 6.211 mm for 6–6 kA,
6–7 kA and 6–8 kA, respectively. In DIDF welding
scheme, the weld growth reaches almost 6.211 mm without
producing any expulsion. This approach has brought the
resistance welding to new era in which the weld growth can
be accurately formed for desirable specifications. Figure 8
illustrates the above-mentioned scenario for easiest com-
parison purpose graphically.
Fig. 5 Pneumatic-based electrode system (SISF welding scheme)
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3.3 Tensile shear test results
Tensile test determines bonding strength but the effective
way to distinguish weld quality is to look at the post-crack
failure modes [10–12]. By doing so, the weld qualities can
be appropriately put into classes, otherwise it may just fall
between two classes, as to distinguish either poor or the
good weld. This is an ambiguous method to distinguish the
weld qualities between poor and good welds so post-crack
failure mode gains significance in this study [13]. In post-
crack propagation mode, the tensile test is carried out until
the counterparts are totally separated from one another.
However, the normal crack-initiating limits are taken into
consideration in this section as to obtain an average value
which is considered to be the strength of the tensile shear
test [14]. Figure 9 shows the tensile test results. It is very
common that larger the weld beads are more shearing
forces are drawn to crack. Hence the objective is well
aligned with process parameters as to monitor the ramping
coefficients for three welding schemes. Initially, the
pneumatic-based SISF has produced the ramping coeffi-
cient as 118 and later it is increased to 139 after the up-
gradation of servo systems. Although a slight improvement
is obtained for servo-based system, further manipulation of
welding current has increased its limit to tremendous level,
from which the ramping coefficient is recorded as 324.
DIDF welding scheme is, therefore, deemed to be more
efficient and effective for the selection of process param-
eters as it offers sufficient productivity. See Fig. 9 for the
comparison of ramping coefficients of process parameters
for three welding schemes.
3.4 Crack initiation and propagation of failure
modes
Post-crack propagation is actually expounding an advanced
approach of tensile test to that of the traditional analysis. In
post-crack propagation mode, the failure patterns are pri-
oritized rather than merely concluded with the crack ini-
tiation. Of course the traditional approach distinguishes
two failure modes in terms of bonding strength but it does
Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering (2018) 40:204 Page 5 of 12 204

Fig. 6 Servo-based electrode system (SISF welding scheme)

Fig. 7 Servo-based electrode system (DIDF welding scheme)

not lay foundation for any appropriate scaling distinctions

between weld qualities [15, 16]. In an ordinary tensile test
of welded samples, the outcome is usually categorized into
two classes such as the button pullout (TF) failure which
represents the better-weld joints while the inter-facial (IF)
represents the poorly-joined welds. Classifying in such
ways has an obvious limitation as far as the weld growth is
precisely concerned. As such, giving priority to the post-
crack propagation mode would technically reveal the ten-
sile test to an extent where the bonding strength can be
Fig. 8 Comparison of weld diameters approximately classified into four possible groups. Hence
the tensile tests that were carried out in this research for
post-crack propagation mode have to be similarly catego-
rized into four categories. Thus, any failure that has metal
trails attached to the weld nugget on both sides, perpen-
dicular to propagation direction or having button pullout is
classified as sound welds and denoted by TF, in short.
Similarly any failure that results in the neck-breaking
pattern of welded samples on either side is classified as
better-weld joints and is denoted by PF. However, if there
is any fracture that occurs at nucleus of the welded zones or
across the nugget bead, then it is classified as pTF. This
type of weld is very rare to witness unless the welding
mechanism or weldable samples have severe deficiencies
during solidification. The final group represents the inter-
facial failure in which the fracture of welded samples is
Fig. 9 Tensile shear test results utterly seen as complete separation between welded sheets
and having apparent inter-facial and premature separation

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Fig. 10 Post-crack propagation
mode in tensile shear test
at the welded zones. Look at Fig. 10 for the graphical
representations.
Using the post-crack propagation modes for analysis, the
material tendency of fracture becomes a noticeable factor.
Literally the stainless steel sides are harder enough to
withstand the tensile pulling force for a little longer,
whereas the carbon steel sides prematurely failed due to
intrinsic nature. As such the post-crack failure patterns are
mostly seen at the carbon steel sides of dissimilar joint and
they are illustrated in Fig. 10. Since the force exertion of
two electrode-actuating systems is mainly concerned in this
paper, the failure modes are differentiated through the four
groups. For instance, the pneumatic-based SISF has pro-
duced IF, PF and TF but the servo-based SISF and DIDF
welding schemes have produced only the PF and TF modes
for equally selected process-tuning parameters. This is
considered as a quality improvement that highlighted for
the servo-based electrode actuation system; as the weld
growth and consequent bonding strength are the improve-
ment here. Figure 11 shows the real failure obtained for
pneumatic-based electrode-actuating system.
Fig. 11 Post-crack propagation failures in tensile shear test
123
3.5 Metallurgical observation for phase
transformation and heat imbalances
Analyzing the macro- and micro-structural orientations is a
way of looking at the changes that happened for welded
zones against the unwelded regions. This would likely lead
to the fundamental understanding of phase transition as
well as the components [8, 17]. As for the dissimilar weld,
the thermal conductivity coefficient rate is higher in carbon
steel compared to stainless steel; therefore, wider ranges of
heat-affected zones (HAZ) and heat-extended zones (HEZ)
will be noticed in carbon steel side. However, the thermal
expansion coefficient rate is lower in carbon steel as such
the width and height of fusion zone will be shorter. On the
other side, the stainless steel seemed to have higher thermal
expansion coefficient rate but lower thermal conductivity.
So the heat-affected zones (HAZ) and heat-extended zones
(HEZ) will both be narrower in stainless steel side but the
fusion zone will be wider and also larger compared to the
carbon steel side. Technically this phenomenon is termed
as heat imbalance, forming asymmetrical weld shape. The
heat imbalances are superficially observed for nuggets
growth as the servo-based system shows improved level of
Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering (2018) 40:204 Page 7 of 12 204

Table 2 Comparison of heat

imbalances Pneumatic based system (SISF) Servo based system (SISF)

3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 6 kA

3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 6 kA

3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 7 kA 3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 7 kA

3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 7.4

kA 3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 7.4 kA

3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 7.7 3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 7.7 kA

kA

3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 8 kA 3 kN, 10 cycle, 5 mm –tip, 8 kA

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imbalances to that of the pneumatic-based system had.
These phenomena can be visually compared for both sys-
tems as shown in Table 2. The heat imbalance is deter-
mined with simple slope, as to observe the ramp,
qualitatively.
To understand where the fundamental principle lies in
the dissimilar steel joints, the heat imbalances and border
orientations are taken for consideration in this analysis.
Fortunately, some changes are noticed relative to one
another in SISF welding scheme. Several dissimilar joints
are, therefore, be welded and three sets (Figs. 12, 13, 14) of
them are chosen to represent the pneumatic SISF, servo
SISF and servo DIDF welding schemes, collectively.
Fig. 12 Macro- and micrographs of servo-based SISF welding scheme
123
Figure 12a reveals half of the entire macro-structural view
of dissimilar steels joint (carbon steel and stainless steel),
which is welded using pneumatic-based system under SISF
welding scheme. It shows the five common regions, indi-
cating notations as follows: CS denotes carbon steel as one
side of base metal, FZ denotes the fusion zone of dissimilar
base metals, SS denotes the stainless steel as another side
of base metal, also revealed with the heat-extended zone
(HEZ) and heat-affected zones (HAZ). The fusion zone
(Fig. 12b) has been formed with the austenite and partial
pearlite in acicular ferrites. The border dendrites (Fig. 12c,
d) are independently aligned to one another, showing
slightly scattered border alignment.
Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering (2018) 40:204
Fig. 13 Macro- and micrographs of servo-based DIDF welding scheme
Figure 13a shows half of the entire macro-structural
view of dissimilar joint (carbon steel and stainless steel),
welded using servo-based system for SISF welding
scheme. The indicative notations of zones are remained
unchanged as before. Figure 13b shows the fusion zone of
dissimilar steel which consists of austenite and pearlite
patches. Thus, it seems well recrystallized, so equal
redistribution of austenites and ferrites are approximately
seen here and there. Figure 13c, d shows the border ori-
entation of stainless steel to fusion zone and carbon steel to
fusion zone, respectively. The borders dendrites are well
aligned between regions and discontinuations are rarely
seen.
Page 9 of 12 204
Figure 14a shows the half of a dissimilar weld joint for
DIDF welding scheme and Fig. 14b shows the corre-
sponding fusion zone. The fusion zone seemed to be
coarsened, paving ways for martensite and partial pearlite
phase formation. This is happening due to improper dual-
solidification processes. Look at the Fig. 14c, d for the odd
outlook borders although the phase transformation is
acceptably successful.
3.6 Hardness comparison between SISF
and DIDF welding schemes
Hardness is basically a mechanical property of material
which directly relates to phase changes and also to the
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Fig. 14 Macro- and micrographs of pneumatic-based SISF welding scheme

growth of grain sizes during the solidification process takes
place [18–21]. In this experimental study, the Rockwell
hardness tester with scale brinell is engaged to test the
average hardness for two types of welding scheme with
three types of electrode actuation (Fig. 15). As of the
pneumatic-based SISF welding scheme is initially mea-
sured, the hardness has been escalated at the welded zones
from original value: CS side = 65 HRB and SS side = 82.4
HRB to 120 HRB. Similar pattern of hardness distributions
along the welded zones is also seen for the servo-based
SISF welding scheme. This is very obvious that only
solidification process would lead to the hardness changes
regardless of electrode-actuating systems. However, the
servo-based DIDF welding scheme has increased the
hardness to about 137 HRB, tremendously. Dual-solidifi-
cation process has increased the hardness level due to the
dual-phase alteration. In other words, the hardness changes
are actually happening due the phase transformation during
dual-solidification processes.
4 Conclusion
Giving the bold conclusion that:

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Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering (2018) 40:204
Fig. 15 Hardness comparison
between the SISF and DIDF
welding scheme
1. Working window of welding processes is enhanced in
servo-based system compared to the pneumatic-based
system.
2. Weld growth can be extended to beyond the electrode
tip’s limitation provided the DIDF welding scheme is
carried out.
3. Post-crack propagation mode helps to distinguish the
after-crack-initiation patterns, as of which the weld
qualities are categorized into three possible classes (IF,
PF and TF). Most probably the post-crack propagation
failures appeared to be on carbon steel sides compared
to stainless steel sides.
4. With the increment of welding current, the weld bead
sizes have been remarkably increased and, therefore,
the corresponding tensile shearing force is also
increased.
5. Ramping rate of change of process parameters for the
tensile shearing test is comparatively higher in DIDF
welding scheme (m3 = 324) as referred to the SISF
welding scheme (pneumatic, m1 = 118 and servo
m2 = 139).
6. Heat imbalances between dissimilar weld joints have
been significantly improved in the DIDF welding
scheme, without any additional setup.
7. In the SISF welding scheme, the micro-structural
changes slightly differed from each other but the
border orientation is seemed to be neat and perfect for
the servo-based system. However, there are no pro-
found hardness changes for the SISF welding
scheme between the pneumatic- and servo-based
systems as it undergoes single-solidification process.
8. Micro-structural observation reveals that the phase
transformation has taken place from austenitic den-
drites of stainless steel sides with pearlite patches of
carbon steel sides to a mixture of both steels as
martensite phase in the DIDF welding scheme. This is
the root cause for the tremendous hardness increment
in the DIDF welding scheme.
Page 11 of 12 204
Acknowledgements The funding was provided by Advan-kt Research
and Development [M7(32)].
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