A collet assembly including an actuator and a collet connected to the actuator. The collet assembly is adapted to be installed on a welding electrode holder having an electrode. The collet is moveable by the actuator from an advanced position, in which the collet is adapted to grip a fastener such as a welding rivet, and a retracted position, in which at least a portion of the collet is retracted into the actuator to enable the electrode to engage the fastener for welding to a work piece, and the collet is adapted to release the fastener.

A collet assembly including an actuator and a collet connected to the actuator. The collet assembly is adapted to be installed on a welding electrode holder having an electrode. The collet is moveable by the actuator from an advanced position, in which the collet is adapted to grip a fastener such as a welding rivet, and a retracted position, in which at least a portion of the collet is retracted into the actuator to enable the electrode to engage the fastener for welding to a work piece, and the collet is adapted to release the fastener.

A pickup mechanism for feeding of weld pins from a magazine to a welding electrode of a welding gun, where the pickup mechanism is attachable to the welding gun in connection to the welding electrode, and where the magazine is attachable to the pickup mechanism, the pickup mechanism comprises a movable pickup lever arm displaceable between a pickup position and a delivery position, where the pickup lever arm is adapted for displacing the weld pin from a pickup position in the magazine to a welding position at the welding electrode; wherein the pickup lever arm has a pickup part comprising a feeding portion for feeding the weld pins from the pickup position to the welding position, where the pickup part comprises a retrieving portion arranged with a sliding surface for displacing the pickup lever arm in a direction essentially perpendicular to the direction of the movement between the delivery position and the pickup position when the sliding surface is in contact with a first weld pin in the magazine, and when the pickup lever arm moves between the delivery position and the pickup position to pick up the first weld pin, where the pickup part is configured such that the sliding surface bridges the first weld pin to the feeding portion at a predetermined position of the pickup lever arm, and such that the first weld pin engages the feeding portion in the pickup position.

A control unit and method for a joining system having at least one joining station, which is designed to join at least one first joining element to a workpiece, determines actual data with respect to a first joining element joined to a current workpiece by the joining station. The control unit and method determine, in accordance with the actual data, a subsequent control instruction for the joining station for joining a first joining element to a subsequent workpiece.

A control unit and method for a joining system having at least one joining station, which is designed to join at least one first joining element to a workpiece, determines actual data with respect to a first joining element joined to a current workpiece by the joining station. The control unit and method determine, in accordance with the actual data, a subsequent control instruction for the joining station for joining a first joining element to a subsequent workpiece.

A welding auxiliary joining part in the shape of a stud having a head, a shank and a tip is disclosed. The welding auxiliary joining part is driven into a component made of a non- or poorly weldable material by means of a setting method. A welding head is created during driving-in due to mechanical deformation such that subsequently the component can be connected by welding via the welding auxiliary joining part to a further component made of a weldable material.

A welding auxiliary joining part in the shape of a stud having a head, a shank and a tip is disclosed. The welding auxiliary joining part is driven into a component made of a non- or poorly weldable material by means of a setting method. A welding head is created during driving-in due to mechanical deformation such that subsequently the component can be connected by welding via the welding auxiliary joining part to a further component made of a weldable material.

A supply device for a joining element which has a shaft, extending along a joining element axis with a first diameter, and an adjacent head with a second diameter which is greater than the first diameter. The supply device comprising a base enclosing a first joining element channel, a second joining element channel and a third joining element channel, which are at least partially arranged in a common channel plane, and which each have a cross-section which is adapted to the shape of the joining element. And the first and the second joining element channels are orientated relative to each other at a switching angle which is in a range from 5 to 45, while the first and the second joining element channels merge into the third joining element channel at a junction with a switching arrangement.

A method of manufacturing a welding stud. The welding stud comprises a weldable portion of light metal and a functional portion of steel. The method comprises the steps of: providing a welding part of a light metal and partially defining a recess, providing a function part of a steel and which includes a protrusion, providing a press with a die and a punch, arranging the welding part on the die and the function part on the press such that the protrusion opposes the recess, and manufacturing the welding stud by impacting the welding part and the function part into the die by the punch such that the protrusion enters the recess and the welding portion forms a sleeve around an end of the function portion to form the welding stud with the welding part forming the weldable portion and the function part forming the functional portion.

A system is provided comprising a hardened stud body and an unhardened stud subunit coupled to the hardened stud body. The hardened stud body may comprise a first composition having by weight between 17% and 21% chromium, between 2.8% and 3.3% molybdenum, between 50% to 55% nickel, and between 4.75% and 5.5% niobium. The unhardened stud subunit may comprise a second composition having by weight between 20% and 23% chromium, between 8% and 10% molybdenum, at least 58% nickel, and between 3.15% and 4.15% niobium.