A stud welding process may be performed by a power supply that is adapted for other welding processes, such as MIG, TIG, and so forth. A stud welding gun may receive studs preloaded in a magazine or other support. Studs are charged into the chuck of a stud welding gun and positioned where desired over a surface. An extension, such as a wire-type electrode may extend from the stud and aid in establishing the welding arc. The stud may be shielded by a nozzle or other shield to obviate the need for ceramic ferrules. Orientation of the stud welding gun may be detected, displayed and used as a basis for initiating and completing the stud welding process once the gun and/or stud is properly positioned.

A method for joining studs to workpieces, in particular for the purpose of stud welding, comprising the steps of acquiring a distinguishing dimension of a stud to be joined by the application of a sensing element to the stud and through measurement of a travel distance of the sensing element as it is applied to the stud; and then joining the stud to a workpiece, if the dimension of the stud is within an allowable tolerance range, and the allowable tolerance range is adapted in dependence on the travel distance of the sensing element measured during a preceding method step.

Joining apparatus for joining joining elements onto workpieces, comprising a joining element holding device, which is configured to radially hold a joining element, and comprising a loading pin arrangement, which is configured to slide a joining element axially into a holding position in the joining element holding device, and/or to axially support the joining element during a joining process, wherein the loading pin arrangement has a loading pin, which is slidable by means of a loading pin actuator arrangement in the direction of the joining element holding device. The loading pin arrangement is here designed to variably establish a loading pin stroke of the loading pin between at least two stages, so that in a first stage the loading pin is displaceable less far in the direction of the joining element holding device than in a second stage.

A feeding unit for joining elements includes a connector coupling having a connector plug and a connector socket which may be placed in a connected state or disconnected state with respect to each other. The connector plug has a passage formed around a passage axis Z.sub.S. The connector socket likewise has a passage formed around a passage axis Z.sub.B. In the connected state of the connector plug and connector socket, the axes Z.sub.S and Z.sub.B are aligned with each other along an alignment axis Z.sub.F to allow the flow of joining elements through the connector coupling. When the connector plug and socket are placed in the disconnected state, a locking element of the connector plug moves to a locked position to block joining elements from passing through the disconnected coupling socket.

A setting head for a joining device, such as a press or a setting device, which setting head comprises the following features: a punch which is movable in a longitudinal direction such that a joining element can be joined into a component by means of a punch face arranged at a working end of the punch; a hollow cylindrical receiving sleeve which has a through-passage and which, with the punch in the through-passage, is guided adjacent to the working end of the punch concentrically and axially movably thereon; and two mutually opposite holding arms arranged on the receiving sleeve outside the through-passage each provide at least one laterally inwardly projecting holding end, with the result that the at least two holding ends allow the joining element to be releasably positionable adjacent to a punch-remote outlet opening of the through-passage and by the axially movable working end of the punch.

A projection portion is formed on a distal end surface of a supply rod with which a surface of a flange is brought into close contact. A circular-arc receiving surface is formed at a boundary portion between the distal end surface and the projection portion, and is configured to fit a flange outer peripheral portion. One side of the circular-arc receiving surface is continuous with the distal end surface, and another side of the circular-arc receiving surface is continuous with an inclined guide surface. The close contact of the flange with the distal end surface is achieved with a magnet of an advancing/retreating type provided in the supply rod.

A fastener delivery apparatus comprising a nose assembly configured to convey a fastener towards a workpiece, the nose assembly comprising a barrel and a fastener alignment device; wherein the barrel comprises a bore having a longitudinal axis and a distal end for engaging the workpiece; an actuator configured to urge the fastener through the bore; wherein the fastener alignment device comprises a plurality of resilient arms which extend towards the distal end of the barrel; wherein at least part of each of the plurality of resilient arms projects into the bore via apertures in the barrel; wherein the plurality of resilient arms are biased radially inwards to engage the fastener; and wherein the resilient arms are configured such that at a maximum deflection, the resilient arms do not pass beyond the periphery of the barrel.

A method for sensing the presence of a fastener in a feeder and fastening system for joining a fastener to a workpiece comprises a head with a receiving element for receiving the fastener, a joining drive element, a feeder for feeding fasteners from a magazine to the receiving element, a feeding tube adapted to receive fasteners from the magazine and through which the fasteners are driven to the receiving element by compressed air. The feeder further includes a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure of compressed air flowing through the feeding tube and a microprocessor for processing and computing the pressure to detect the presence or passage of a fastener in the feeding tube.

A setting head for a joining device, such as a press or a setting device, which setting head comprises the following features: a punch which is movable in a longitudinal direction such that a joining element can be joined into a component by means of a punch face arranged at a working end of the punch; a hollow cylindrical receiving sleeve which has a through-passage and which, with the punch in the through-passage, is guided adjacent to the working end of the punch concentrically and axially movably thereon; and two mutually opposite holding arms arranged on the receiving sleeve outside the through-passage each provide at least one laterally inwardly projecting holding end, with the result that the at least two holding ends allow the joining element to be releasably positionable adjacent to a punch-remote outlet opening of the through-passage and by the axially movable working end of the punch.

Provided are a three-dimensional shaped object production device and method capable of producing a predetermined three-dimensional shaped object by forming a ball at a leading end of a conductive wire through use of the conductive wire based on scanned data or designed data and aligning and stacking the balls. The three-dimensional shaped object production device includes: a plate (40), on which a three-dimensional shaped object is placeable; a ball forming section configured to form a ball (13) by applying high voltage between a leading end of a conductive wire (4) paid out from a leading end of a capillary (12) and a spark rod (19) and melting the leading end of the wire by discharge energy; a positioning device configured to position the plate and the ball forming section by moving the plate and the ball forming section relative to each other; and a bonding section configured to bond the ball formed at the leading end of the capillary to another ball (14) that has already been stacked on the plate, the forming of the ball by the ball forming section, the relative moving of the plate and the ball forming section by the positioning device, and the bonding of the ball formed at the leading end of the capillary to the another ball by the bonding section is repeated, to thereby produce a three-dimensional shaped object having a desired shape.