Abstract Scope |
Energy consumption during welding operations is an increasing factor for process selection and parameter optimization. This is equally true for resistance welding. Energy consumption during resistance welding is controlled by many factors, including the workpiece material and geometry, the type of equipment used, the processing conditions selected, the design of welding secondary, etc. In this work energy requirements and losses associated with resistance welding are analyzed in a systematic way. The approach has been to deconstruct representative resistance welding approaches into workpiece, electrical, and thermal elements and apply analytical solutions to understand how each affects required power and energy for successful welding. The results then can be used assess the impacts of equipment selection and design on resultant energy consumption for a specific application. Examples are provided demonstrating the tools for designing systems with improved energy efficiency as well as tradeoffs between those improvements and resultant process robustness and final joint quality. |