Welding is a process using heat and pressure to join two or more pieces of metal or thermoplastic. The process of applying heat softens the material and enables it to be fastened as one joint area when pressure is applied. Almost every metal or thermoplastic item used today is formed through direct welding or through the use of some kind of welded construction tools.

The two types of welding commonly used for fasteners are stud welding and resistance welding. These two types of welding can be differentiated by several features of the fusing process.

Stud welding

Stud welding uses fasteners called weld studs, or welding studs, that allow materials to be affixed in a single step. The process begins with the weld stud being placed against the base metal after which an arc weld is struck. The weld melts the stud base and the area of the metal where the stud is to be attached. The stud is then held in the molten metal until hard.

Weld studs come in a range of designs, sizes, and shapes, so they can be used for a variety of purposes and locations. Stud welding can be used to form high quality, strong permanent bonds by end-welding a stud to a metal part. Unlike other welding methods, the fastener and metal to which it is to be affixed do not have to be made from the same material, nor do they have to be the same size or shape. Studs can be used in a variety of locations not amenable to other types of fasteners. Stud welding is a fast, efficient process that can be completed by a single worker in under a second.

Resistance welding

Resistance welding joins materials through the use of heat produced through resistance to an electric current. In resistance welding there is essentially a two-step process. First, resistance to the electric current heats the materials to the melting temperature. Then strong pressure is applied to join the materials. Resistance welding also results in a clean joint, as filler metal is not used.

These two types of welding are often confused yet they are different types of processes with different features. Resistance welding uses electric current and high pressure to form a bond between two items. Stud welding, on the other hand, uses an arc as the direct source of heat and there is no high pressure requirement.

Additionally, both stud welding and resistance welding can be used for mass production of items due to the consistency and reliability resulting from the exceptionally clean joints formed. Resistance welding, with its need for high pressure, requires access to both sides of the work piece. Stud welding does not.

Image Industries primarily produces stud welding studs but does produce specialty resistance weld studs for unique customer requirements.