Stud Welding Terminology 101

Today's constantly evolving industrial standards and materials can be inadvertently confused, leading to waste or injury. This review of essential stud welding terminology should keep your stud welding chops honed.

Essential Stud Welding Equipment

Stud welding requires three essential pieces of equipment: weld studs, ferrules/fasteners, and a welding system. Find out more about the stud welding equipment mentioned below!

Weld Stud

Weld studs are CNC machined, or cold formed, metal parts that are meant to be stud welded to similar metals. These weld studs can be both threaded, or unthreaded. Threaded weld studs are intended to be used as a fastener while unthreaded studs can be used as a pin or a locator.

Ferrule/Fastener

Stud welding ferrules are rings that are designed to shield and protect the stud during the welding process. Image industries supplies ceramic ferrules with all drawn arc weld studs sold. These ferrules will not melt or break when exposed to the extreme temperatures associated with stud welding.

The Components of the Stud Welding System

The welding system itself is one of the most important pieces of equipment for stud welding. The system consists of five key components, defined below.

The Power Source

The power source is what supplies the energy to the weld tool. Image Industries sells three different types of power sources for all your stud welding needs! We have Arc stud welding, QuickLinx, and Capacitor Discharge power sources.

Weld Gun

The weld gun is the component that holds the studs and applies the extreme heat to initiate the stud welding process. Weld guns can be handheld, or fixed, for automated systems. Hand held weld guns are more versatile because they can be taken from job to job and are not designed for only one specific material or application.

Ground Cable

Ground cables are one of the cables required for stud welding. The ground cable safely grounds your welding system to prevent it from shorting.

Extension Cable

The extension cable of a stud welding system is responsible for transporting the welding current from the power source to the stud welding gun.

Stud Welding Methods

Stud welding is a versatile process and as a result, there is more than one method of stud welding. Read on for definitions of three different methods of stud welding.

Arc Welding

With drawn arc welding, the arcs create the strongest bond between stud and base. The stud is embedded with flux to keep the weld zone clean as the gun plunges it into the base. A ceramic ferrule contains the molten metal and prevents it from splashing. Below are more arc welding methods.

Gas Arc Welding: Gas Arc welds do not use flux. Gas, not a ferrule, is used to shield the effects of the molten metal fusion. Gas arc welding eases automation but reduces control over the puddle and the depth of the plunge.

Short Arc Welding: Short arc welds use no flux or ferrule (like gas arc). High currents and short weld times increase the speed at which these welds are accomplished but can sometimes reduce their strength. Without shielding porosity can be introduced. Short arc applications should be carefully chosen.

Capacitor Discharge (CD) Welding

CD welds are used for smaller fasteners; it speeds the process and creates a very clean final product. There are two different CD welding processes defined below.

Contact CD Welding: With Contact CD welding, the stud is placed against the workpiece, and its tip vaporizes as the current is discharged. An arc forms between stud and workpiece, melting the metal, before the stud is plunged.

Gap CD Welding: In this CD welding process, the stud is lifted, creating a gap, and then released at the same time the voltage is applied to the across the workpiece. Because the stud is accelerating across the gap this process reduces weld times. Shorter weld times lends itself to aluminum and thin sheet gauges.

Hydraulic Port Welding

Hydraulic port welding is the process of welding ports onto hydraulic cylinders. The process is usually performed with an automated stud welding machine and is similar to the standard stud welding process.

Welding Certifications

In the U.S., welders receive certifications from the American Welding Society; in Canada, the service is provided by the Canadian Welding Bureau. Lear more about available welding certifications below.

Certified Welders (CW)

Certified welders (CW) demonstrate skill and ability to create sound, secure welds using a variety of processes and materials in a variety of designs and positions. Beyond general welding skills, certified welders can obtain qualifications for specific industries, including sheet metals and petroleum.

Certified Welding Supervisors (CWS)

Certified Welding Supervisors (CWS) offer resource and employee oversight services. Longtime experience and supplemental education equip them to direct welding activities and personnel, prepare and evaluate work plans, and review worker performance. Effective on-site certified welding supervisors provide one-to-one oversight, and can reduce costs by improving welder efficiencies and reducing welding-related waste. Advanced certifications in welding engineering and welding education provide management level welding expertise to every welding work site and construction project.

Speak With the Experts at Image Industries About Stud Welding

If you need more information about stud welding equipment and accessories, or are unsure of what exactly you need, reach out to Image Industries. Our team of stud welding experts has years of experience providing manufacturers and welders with several products to meet their welding needs. For more information, call Image Industries at (866) 944-0335 or request a quote online today.