Abstract
Resistance welding of crossed wires, e.g. used in the electronics industry or in fabrication of wire meshes, is analyzed by both experiments and numerical modeling using an electro-thermo-mechanical finite element formulation. Welding machine characteristics are discussed and the necessary requirements to the type of welding machine are concluded. Cross-wire welding of stainless steel, structural steel and aluminum are presented, and differences in the welding process and flash formation are discussed. It is shown that the joints are primarily due to solid-state bonding and local melting. The simulations compare well to the experiments at low weld settings, while remaining challenges for simulation of high weld settings are identified in terms of requirements to the mesh and detailed description of the machine follow up of the electrode force and movement.
Highlights
Cross-wire welding is among the most common non-automotive applications of resistance welding, see e.g. Scotchmer (2007)
The primary use of cross-wire welding is in the electronic industry and in the fabrication of wire meshes
The stainless steel AISI 316L and structural steel S235JR+AR are welded with the same settings of electrode force and weld time and presented in Fig. 6a as a function of the current
Summary
Cross-wire welding is among the most common non-automotive applications of resistance welding, see e.g. Scotchmer (2007). Cross-wire welding is among the most common non-automotive applications of resistance welding, see e.g. Wires are welded to each other in light bulbs as presented by Goodman (1950), who discusses the loads that the joints will encounter during the life of the light bulb together with eventual failure modes. Knowlson (1967) gives other examples of cross-wire welding in electronics; namely welding of a variety of components, such as resistors, capacitors, diodes and transistors, into small closely packed devices. Wire meshes are used in various products in kitchen wear, shopping carts and for reinforcing concrete structures. Resistance welding poses an alternative to woven structures of wire meshes that are commonly used. In large scale production of wire meshes, entire rows of cross-wire welds are performed simultaneous as e.g. presented by Jordan (1964) and Bushell (1951)
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