If you have a product or piece of equipment that requires two pieces of metal to be joined together spot welding is an easy, fast way of achieving the join. To create a spot weld two pieces of metal are pressed together and an electrode is placed on either side of the metal. When a current is passed between the electrodes a joint in the metal is created. To create a good joint the current must be applied for the correct amount of time, the time required will vary depending on the types of metal being joined and the thickness of each piece.

What are the advantages of spot welding?

The speed with which spot welding can be completed is the chief advantage of this method. Some machines can create up to 200 spot welds in just six seconds, even working by hand a spot weld can be completed in only a few seconds. The joint is created without any flux or filler metal being required and there is no open flame forming a potential fire hazard. Spot welding creates no mess and doesn't require a particularly high skill level to create good joints. It can be successfully applied to join a wide variety of metals with sheets of metal as thin as 1/4 inch being capable of spot welding.

Are there any limitations to spot welding?

While spot welding is widely used in the manufacturing and industrial sectors it is not suitable for all circumstances. It can only be used to created localised joins that are not always strong. Spot welding is not suitable for metal that is dirty as it relies on its effectiveness on the cleanness of both the electrodes and the metal. If the current cannot pass successfully through the metal then the weld cannot be made.

Perhaps the most obvious limitation with spot welding is the need for the electrodes to have access to electricity. The electrodes must be capable of reaching both sides of the metal to be welded. If you want to weld anything of a large or awkward shape it is not always easy to place an electrode on both sides of the metal. To successfully spot weld under those circumstances will require electrodes with sufficiently long wires or even a two-person team to complete the weld.

If you aren't sure whether spot welding is right for your product why not discuss it with your equipment supplier today? They will be able to advise on the most appropriate solution to your welding problem.