In-Die Services Part I: Understanding Spot Welding With Metal Stamping in Minneapolis, MN

March 3rd, 2016 · No Comments

At Thomas Engineering Company, we believe in production efficiency and accuracy for every single part stamped and formed on our operation lines. To produce high quality parts, our precision metal stamping capabilities are a crucial part of the process; however, our value-added services are just as important when it comes to production quality. Our in-die operations are part of our cutting edge precision metal stamping process in Minneapolis, MN.

TEC is able to pare down production times during the manufacturing process, which allows us to offer high-quality parts faster and at a lower cost. While the use of progressive stamping presses adds greatly to a more efficient process, streamlined value-added services are also a large part of swift production.

Our customers benefit from TEC’s abilities to work within a die, using our in-die spot welding, in-die tapping, and in-die staking abilities.

Part I of this three-part series focuses specifically on the process of spot welding and how TEC trims up the process.

Spot welding is the joining together of two metal surfaces using high heat projected from electrical current resistance. The two pieces are held together with electrode-applied pressure while the heat is delivered. The amount of electrical current—which determines the heat in spot welding—must be in accordance with the metal’s properties: too great a current will melt through the weld spot and too little a current will form a weak bond.

There are three stages in a spot welding operation:

  1. Electrodes are brought to the surface of the metal parts and slight pressure is applied, pushing the part surfaces together.
  2. The correct current is forced to one spot between these parts, effectively heating the metal and welding the surfaces together.
  3. The current is cut off and the now single welded part is cooled through small holes in the electrodes. The part is left in place to fully cool before pressure is released.

Fundamentally, spot welders are made up of a power supply, an energy storage bank, a switch, a welding transformer, and welding electrodes. Our spot welding systems are built into the tooling process and we are able to perform in-die spot welding with each cycle of the stamping process. Our ability to seamlessly combine two separate processes with our in-die spot welding services requires a highly advanced, automated welding and stamping machine.

With our perfectly precise and complex technology, we are able to offer our customers an efficient production process for high quality parts.

For more information about our in-die spot welding and value-added services, contact us at Thomas Engineering Company. For information about our precision metal stamping in Minneapolis, MN, call us at (763) 533-1501.

Tags: Metal Stamping ·


 

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