An apparatus includes a welding electrode and a holder with a primary electrical connection for carrying a welding current. The electrode and the holder may separate easily due to a weak interference fit of the primary electrical connection. Bare hands may provide sufficient force for separation. The electrode and the holder may be configured for self-alignment. A quick-release mechanism may prevent unintentional dislodgement of the electrode from the holder and include a rotation-resistant device for preventing electrode rotation. A secondary electrical connection may be included to supplement or replace the primary electrical connection. A workpiece clamping force, traditionally intended for clamping the electrode to a workpiece, may also be utilized to enable the secondary electrical connection.

A welding gun and a welding method with which it is possible to reduce the wait time for loading a component and to decrease tact time. The welding gun is a welding gun for resistance-welding components to a workpiece successively, and comprises a first holding portion and a second holding portion for holding a component. The first holding portion and the second holding portion are each switchable to an abutment-enabling position for causing a component to abut against a workpiece, or to a loading-enabling position for loading the component. The first holding portion and the second holding portion are switchable such that when the first holding portion is in the abutment-enabling position, the second holding portion is in the loading-enabling position, and when the second holding portion is in the abutment-enabling position, the first holding portion is in the loading-enabling position.

A welding gun and a welding method with which it is possible to reduce the wait time for loading a component and to decrease tact time. The welding gun is a welding gun for resistance-welding components to a workpiece successively, and comprises a first holding portion and a second holding portion for holding a component. The first holding portion and the second holding portion are each switchable to an abutment-enabling position for causing a component to abut against a workpiece, or to a loading-enabling position for loading the component. The first holding portion and the second holding portion are switchable such that when the first holding portion is in the abutment-enabling position, the second holding portion is in the loading-enabling position, and when the second holding portion is in the abutment-enabling position, the first holding portion is in the loading-enabling position.

Texture for breaking oxide layers on an electrode and a tool applying texture to an electrode is disclosed. The tool may be used during a pattern creating process where the texture is applied to the electrode tip, or may be used during a re-conditioning process where a new texture is applied to a deteriorated electrode tip. The textured surface may include a pattern of raised or depressed features (teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, cross-hatches, parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, etc.). The tool includes a plate having an upper side and a lower side, and a texture surface is arranged on one or both of the upper and lower sides of the tool. The tool's texture surface may include various asperities or patterns, which are imprinted onto the electrode tips by squeezing the electrodes against the upper and lower sides of the tool.

Texture for breaking oxide layers on an electrode and a tool applying texture to an electrode is disclosed. The tool may be used during a pattern creating process where the texture is applied to the electrode tip, or may be used during a re-conditioning process where a new texture is applied to a deteriorated electrode tip. The textured surface may include a pattern of raised or depressed features (teeth, knurls, protrusions, depressions, ridges, asperities, cross-hatches, parallel or non-parallel lines, star shapes, triangles, hexagons, etc.). The tool includes a plate having an upper side and a lower side, and a texture surface is arranged on one or both of the upper and lower sides of the tool. The tool's texture surface may include various asperities or patterns, which are imprinted onto the electrode tips by squeezing the electrodes against the upper and lower sides of the tool.

A welder having first and second electrodes configured to clamp and weld a fastener to a workpiece at an opening in the workpiece, wherein the first electrode is configured to move in a direction transverse to a clamping direction to center the fastener with the opening. The welder can carry out a method of aligning and welding an internally-threaded nut to a panel at an opening in the panel. The method includes the steps of: centering the opening in the panel relative to a first electrode using a tapered guide pin that extends into the opening; centering the nut relative to the opening using the tapered guide pin; clamping the nut and panel between the first electrode and a second electrode; and welding the nut to the panel by passing current through the nut and panel from one of the electrodes to the other electrode.

In the present disclosure, a pair of removing members (5) are provided to be able to move toward and away from each other. Each of the removing members (5) includes a nail (5A, 5B) capable of being inserted into a gap (S1) between a large diameter portion (11a) and an electrode tip (12), and a protrusion (54) extending in a direction intersecting with a direction of insertion of the nail (5A, 5B) into the gap. The protrusions (54) of one and the other one of the removing members (5) are axially supported respectively by first and second support portions (81a, 81b) provided on one end of an arm member (8). The first support portion (81a) is in the shape of a groove that is shaped to be gradually closer to the other one of the removing members as progressing toward the other end of the arm member (8).

In the present disclosure, a pair of removing members (5) are provided to be able to move toward and away from each other. Each of the removing members (5) includes a nail (5A, 5B) capable of being inserted into a gap (S1) between a large diameter portion (11a) and an electrode tip (12), and a protrusion (54) extending in a direction intersecting with a direction of insertion of the nail (5A, 5B) into the gap. The protrusions (54) of one and the other one of the removing members (5) are axially supported respectively by first and second support portions (81a, 81b) provided on one end of an arm member (8). The first support portion (81a) is in the shape of a groove that is shaped to be gradually closer to the other one of the removing members as progressing toward the other end of the arm member (8).

A method for welding multiple workpieces together includes applying a force to the multiple workpieces, generating ultrasonic vibration, transferring the ultrasonic vibration to the multiple workpieces to breakdown an oxide layer, generating an electric current, transmitting the electric current to heat up the workpieces, and synchronizing the ultrasonic and resistance heating operations. A welding system includes an ultrasonic vibration unit that generates an ultrasonic vibration and transfers the ultrasonic vibration to multiple workpieces to breakdown an oxide layer, a resistance heating unit that generates an electric current and transmits the electric current to heat up the workpieces, a workpiece mount that includes electrodes configured to receive the generated current and/or clamp the multiple workpieces during a welding process, and a controller configured to synchronize an operation of the ultrasonic vibration unit and an operation of a resistance heating unit.

What is provided is an electric resistance welded steel pipe manufacturing device that is configured to perform welding while forming a strip-shaped steel sheet in a tubular shape and supplying a plasma flow to a pair of abutment end surfaces to perform shielding. The electric resistance welded steel pipe manufacturing device includes a mandrel; and a plasma flow feeder that is provided in the mandrel to supply the plasma flow.