Stud welding uses electric current to join metal fasteners to other metal pieces. There are two types: capacitor discharge for small fasteners and arc welding for larger ones. Fasteners are designed for specific welding types. CD welding causes minimal heat damage, while arc welding requires a ceramic ferrule to contain heat.
Stud welding is the process by which heat created with an electric current is used to join a metal fastener to another piece of metal. This type of welding is widely used in the manufacture of products composed largely of metal, such as automobiles and ships. There are two types of stud welding: capacitor discharge (CD) welding, which is often used to join small fasteners to a thin metal base, and arc welding, which is usually used to join large fasteners to a more solid metal base.
The fasteners used in stud welding come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, some that look like ordinary nuts, bolts, or studs. Unlike regular fasteners, however, the ends of these pieces are specifically designed for CD or arc stud welding. Those designed for CD welding have a flat collar on the solder end with a protruding tip that breaks off when electric current is applied, facilitating a strong weld. The fasteners used in arc stud welding sometimes feature aluminum on the welded end, again helping to create a solid bond.
Because the CD welding process takes only milliseconds, it can usually be performed without causing visible heat damage to the metal to which the fastener is being bonded. To perform a CD weld, specialized fastener is first loaded onto the welding gun and then placed against the piece of metal it will be welded to. The welder starts the gun, sending an electric current to the fastener and piece of metal, which causes heat to be created. This heat melts the tip and collar of the fastener, as well as part of the metal piece. A spring inside the welding gun then pushes the fastener into the metal piece, and as the molten substances cool, they are fused together.
Arc welding is used to join fasteners and metal pieces that are too large or thick for CD welding. As with CD welding, the arc stud is loaded onto a welding gun, but before being positioned where they will be joined, that spot is surrounded by a ceramic ferrule or ring. This ferrule contains the heat created by the weld, preventing the metal from melting around the weld area. The welder then starts the gun, which delivers an electric current that melts the tip of the stud and the base metal inside the ferrule, then forces the fastener into the base metal. After the metals have cooled and fusion has been achieved, the ferrule is usually chipped.
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