Resistance Welding:

Resistance welding is the process of joining of metals by applying mechanical pressure and by
passing high electric current for a length of time through the metal area which is to be joined.
It is a thermo-electric process in which heat is generated at the edge planes of welding plates
because of electric resistance and a weld joint can be created by applying low-pressure to these
plates. This type of welding uses electric resistance to generate heat. This process is very
efficient with pollution free but the applications are limited because of the features like
equipment cost is high, and material thickness is limited.
The heat produced by the resistance to the flow of current is given by:

𝑯 = 𝑰𝟐 𝑹𝒕
where
I = current flowing through electrodes
R = contact resistance of the interface
t = time for which the current flows
Here, the total resistance offered to the flow of current is made up of:
a) The resistance of current path in the work.
b) The resistance between the contact surfaces of the parts being welded.
c) The resistance between electrodes and the surface of parts being welded.
To develop the high temperature between the interfaces of the work to be welded rather than at
the surface of the work in contact with the electrodes it is necessary to keep the resistance
between the electrodes and the surface of the body being welded to minimum.
In this process of welding, the heat developed at the contact area between the pieces to be
welded reduces the metal to plastic state or liquid state, then the pieces are pressed under high
mechanical pressure to complete the weld. The electrical voltage input to the welding varies
in between 4 and 12 V depending upon area, thickness, composition, etc. and usually
power ranges from about 60 to 180 W for each square mm of area.
Any desired combination of voltage and current can be obtained by means of a suitable
transformer in AC; hence, AC is found to be most suitable for the resistance welding. The
magnitude of current is controlled by changing the primary voltage of the welding transformer,
which can be done by using an auto-transformer or a tap-changing transformer.
Automatic arrangements are provided to switch off the supply after a pre-determined time from
applying the pressure, why because the duration of the current flow through the work is very
important in the resistance welding.
 Electric Circuit for Resistance Welding
Advantages:
• The resistance welding method is fast which increases the rate of production.
• No filler metal is required.
• Both similar and dissimilar metals can be welded.
• Possibility of localized heating.
• The welding process can be made automated.
• The resistance welding process will not make any harm to the environment making it
an environmentally friendly process.
• No such special skills are required for operating the welding machine.
• Due to its high rate of production, it is well suited for mass production.
Disadvantages:
• The resistance welding equipment requires maintenance thereby increasing the cost.
• The power required for the welding process is high.
• The initial cost of the equipment is high.
• It is difficult to weld workpieces of large thickness due to high current requirements.
Applications:
• It is used by many industries manufacturing products made up of thinner gauge metals.
• It is used for the manufacturing of tubes and smaller structural sections.
Types of Resistance Welding:
Depending upon the method of weld obtained and the type of electrodes used, the resistance
welding is classified as:
1. Spot welding.
2. Seam welding.
3. Projection welding.
4. Butt welding.
5. Percussion welding.
 1. Spot Welding:
Spot welding is a form of resistance welding in which the metal parts or pieces are joined in
spots by heating relatively small sections between suitable electrodes under pressure. This type
of welding technique provides high mechanical strength, but cannot provide water or air- tight
sealing. The below diagram represents the spot-welding process.
Spot welding means the joining of two metal sheets and fusing them together between copper
electrode tips at suitably spaced intervals by means of heavy electric current passed through
the electrodes.

The welding process consists of two electrodes between which metal pieces to be welded are
placed. The two electrodes are connected to the supply source through a transformer. When
electrodes are excited, heat will be generated at the tip of the electrodes and between the two
workpieces to be joined. The heat developed will melt the metal pieces at the place of the joint
and are fused together under the pressure of electrodes.
This type of joint formed by the spot welding provides mechanical strength and not air or water
tight, for such welding it is necessary to localize the welding current and to apply sufficient
pressure on the sheet to be welded.
The welding current varies widely depending upon the thickness and composition of the plates.
It varies from 1,000 to 10,000 A, and voltage between the electrodes is usually less than 2 V.
The period of the flow of current varies widely depending upon the thickness of sheets to be
joined.
Good weld can be obtained by low currents for longer duration and high currents for shorter
duration; longer welding time usually produces stronger weld but it involves high energy
expenditure, electrode maintenance, and lot of distortion of workpiece.
The applications of spot welding are joining automobile sections, cabinets, etc.
 2. Seam Welding:
Seam welding can be defined as a series of spot welds made progressively along a joint between
the two metal pieces. In this type of welding electrodes in the form of a wheel or roller type are
used instead of tipped electrodes as shown below.

As seen in the above figure, in seam welding the metal pieces are kept between two circular
electrodes. Before welding, the two pieces are cleaned and overlapped suitably. As the wheel-
type electrodes rotate keeping the metal pieces under pressure, current passes through them
and heats up. When these metal pieces reach welding temperature, they change into a plastic
state, and due to pressure from electrodes, continuous spot welds are obtained.
In seam welding, a timer is used for controlling the weld current, since the flow of continuous
current can build up high heat that causes burning and wrapping of the metal piece. The timing
controller controls the flow of current by switching ON and OFF the supply at rapidly repeated
intervals for a sufficient period. The production of a series of current pulses and the speed of
electrode rotation decides the weld spots.
The whole process is usually made automatic by an electronic controller. This type of welding
provides pressure-tight or leak-proof joints. Seam welding is employed for welding pipes,
conduits, tanks, transformers, refrigerators, aircraft, and various types of containers.