Welding
Joining one piece of wire to another is done by welding similar materials together. There are several processes that can be used to create welds that are strong and durable. The welding process joins 2 or more pieces of material by applying heat, pressure or both, with or without filler material, to provide a fused joint.
Resistance spot welding is achieved by sending an electrical current through two (or more) parts and applying pressure to press one component into the other without the need for filler material. Special jigs and fixtures support the components and hold them in place during the welding process.
Fusion welding is a process that joins the components together by using heat to melt the base material and by adding filler material to the joint. The weld joint that is formed can become stronger than the parent material.
Depending upon the part configuration, there are several types of welds available:
Butt welds join the wire ends together as in the creation of a ring or a frame. Butt welds that are created by resistance welding will have an upset area at the joint. This upset can be removed by a secondary dressing process to achieve a smoother surface.
Tee welds weld the end of one wire into the side of another to form a joint that looks like the letter T. This type of welding is used when one is welding support wires to a frame.
Line welds are created by laying one wire alongside another.
Crosswire resistance welds join wires perpendicular to each other for applications such as mesh or grids.
Assembly welds join sub components together to create a larger, more complex assembly. The success of maintaining dimensions and critical tolerances in welded wire assemblies is determined by the design of the assembly weld fixtures.
Weld strength can be calculated by the amount of the set down of one wire into the other as well as performing chemical analysis or weld destruct sampling.
Acme Wire Products has 50 years of experience in providing welded wire components to exacting tolerances and can produce the parts that best meet the demands of your project.
