Spot Welding Benefits and Applications

Spot welding is a kind of resistance welding that involves joining two metal surfaces with electricity and pressure. After the metal sheets that need to be welded are lined up, a welder will arrange two electrodes on either side of the metal. A current is then run through the electrodes as they are squeezed together with the sheets in between, which welds them together.

This unique process gives spot welding many benefits and applications, which are discussed below.

Benefits of Spot Welding

Although spot welding was one of the first kinds of welding people used, it's still common, and here are some of the advantages that may have helped it stick around.

Fast

One of the main advantages of spot welding is that it's extremely fast. According to Wikipedia, the average time to do a spot weld is 0.01 to 0.63 seconds. So if you need a job done quickly, spot welding may be the technique to choose.

Thicker metals typically take longer to weld than thinner metals, but that's the case for all types of welding, so spot welds are still generally faster overall.

Good for Thin Metals

Because of the way spot welding works, it is a great way to weld thin metal sheets together. Thin metals can be easily burned through, but spot welding's process - which uses pressure and electricity rather than using superheated metal - makes burning through the materials a lot less likely. As long as the sheets either are the same thickness or have a 3-to-1 thickness ratio , spot welding should work well.

Cost-Effective

Spot welding is a cost-effective method of attaching metals together, both compared to other methods of welding and other methods of metal joinery that don't involve welding.

Spot welding is also more productive than other kinds of welding despite using less energy and electricity. And it's cheaper than using an option like rivets because extra metal isn't necessary.

Versatile

Spot welding's versatility allows it to weld many different kinds of metal together, including wire mesh. Steel is a popular material for spot welding because it doesn't conduct as much electricity as some other materials. Low-carbon steel, stainless steel, mild steel, and mixed steel are common choices. Some other metals that you can use spot welding for include titanium and nickel alloys.

Ways to Use Spot Welding

You can use spot welding for a variety of applications, some of which are more recognizable than others.

Small Kitchenware

The most common place where a typical individual might see the results of spot welding is in the kitchen. For example, metal cookie cutters are often formed using spot welds, and handles can be spot welded onto the bodies of tin cups.

Automotives

According to Wikipedia, spot welds are the most common welding process used in the automotive industry, typically for welding the sheet metal of the car's body. Robots generally perform these welds, and, according to Sciencing, they can perform up to 200 spot welds in the space of only six seconds. This makes spot welding a great way to weld a lot of material in a very short amount of time.

Orthodontic Appliances

Another use for spot welding is in orthodontics. If a patient needs molar bands placed around their teeth to help stabilize an orthodontic appliance, a dentist can use small-scale spot welds to attach one end of the band to the other after they have placed the band on the tooth.

To learn more about spot welding's advantages or applications or to find a welder, contact our team at 3-B Welding, LLC. We've serviced the New Concord, OH, area since 2001, so we have the experience to help you with whatever spot welding or other welding needs you have.