Can your electrode be made of copper and some other metal?

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Is it possible to have and electrode made from two different metals, such as copper and ? so that when you contact the surfaces to be welded, you will have two separate weld strengths on the same weld? I would use the copper portion of the electrode to do most of the weld and then taper off the weld strength on one side of the electrode by using a material with a much higher resistivity. I would appreciate any comments on this as well as your suggestions as to what the second metal might be. Thanks

-- John Herget (john.herget@autolivasp.com), August 01, 2002

Answers

Electrodes are often made of two materials. RWMA 2 Copper is the most often used as the "shank" that is inserted into the electrode holder, moly or tungsten is often press fit into the RWMA 2 material. A conductive material must be inserted into the electrode holder to carry the current to the other material. The other material (moly, tungsten etc.) then generates heat, which in turn melts the material to be welded. This is most often used in situations where you have poor heat balance, and you want to shift the weld nugget in one direction. Kurt Tolliver Unitek Miyachi Corp.

-- Kurt Tolliver (kurt@unitekmiyachi.com), August 02, 2002.

Using dissimiliar electrode materials is done for two main reasons, to achieve heat balance (although there is a better method to do that) or for wearability (such as using Elkonite veneer for weld nuts and studs). However, I after reading your question, I think you are trying to solve some other problem that is not clear. If this is true, please re-submit your question as a problem and we can help further.

-- Mike Kroman (mkroman@magnumengtech.com), August 12, 2002.

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