A welding apparatus includes a movement assembly for at least one electrode configured to which can be passed through by current for the execution of welding treatments. The assembly includes at least one cylinder and at least one stem which rigidly supports the electrode; the stem is at least partially accommodated in the cylinder and is coaxially movable with an alternating straight motion along the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, in order to press the electrode against the parts to be welded with a corresponding welding force.

A device for measuring the welding force is also provided, which has a plate, which is stably interposed between the stem and the electrode with the respective faces arranged at right angles to the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of deformation sensors accommodated in through slots provided in the plate and distributed along an imaginary circumference which is centered along the longitudinal axis.

A welding gun includes a proximity restricting mechanism that is provided between a shaft and a cover member in a manner to surround the shaft and to be displaceable relative to the shaft in an axial direction in accordance with expansion and contraction of the cover member, and that restricts the cover member from approaching too closely the shaft.

A resistance welding device is configured for use in combination with a resistance welder having a translating welding electrode. A first arm of the welding device is in a translating rotational engagement with a second arm thereof. The first arm of the device is engageable to a translating electrode from the resistance welder. Translation of the welding electrode of the resistance welder moves first and second electrodes to contact metal therebetween and spot weld the metal.

A method of resistance spot brazing a workpiece stack-up that includes a first thin-gauge steel workpiece and a second thin-gauge steel workpiece. The method includes several steps. A first step involves applying a filler material to a surface of the first thin-gauge steel workpiece. A second step involves bringing a surface of the second thin-gauge steel workpiece to adjoin the filler material. A third step involves clamping a first welding electrode and a second welding electrode on the first and second thin-gauge steel workpieces and over the filler material. A fourth step involves passing electrical current between the first and second welding electrodes and hence through the filler material. And a fifth step involves terminating passage of the electrical current in order to establish a brazed joint between the first and second thin-gauge steel workpieces.

A method of resistance spot brazing a workpiece stack-up that includes a first thin-gauge steel workpiece and a second thin-gauge steel workpiece. The method includes several steps. A first step involves applying a filler material to a surface of the first thin-gauge steel workpiece. A second step involves bringing a surface of the second thin-gauge steel workpiece to adjoin the filler material. A third step involves clamping a first welding electrode and a second welding electrode on the first and second thin-gauge steel workpieces and over the filler material. A fourth step involves passing electrical current between the first and second welding electrodes and hence through the filler material. And a fifth step involves terminating passage of the electrical current in order to establish a brazed joint between the first and second thin-gauge steel workpieces.

A weight balancing gantry has a tower having a fixed length radial arm pivotally coupled from a pivot point at an upper end of the tower. An angle strut acts between the tower and the radial arm across the pivot point. A pivot point pulley is located at the upper end of the tower and a weight balancing mechanism located at the tower. A bogey runs along the radial arm and has a bogey pulley. A positioning mechanism at the radial arm has at least one controlled cylinder for positioning and holding the bogey along to the radial arm. A cable runs from the weight balancing mechanism, up across the pivot point pulley and over the bogey pulley to attach to an industrial tool.

A electrical connector for removably engaging a welder to a spot welding tool having a first arm in a pivoting engagement to a second arm. The connector features an electrically conductive member engaged to or forming a powered translating shaft of a welder which is surrounded by a housing. The connector engages within a passage formed in a coupling to communicate forward and rearward movement and electric current to a first arm of a spot welding tool.

A method for adaptive control of the traveling electrode of a spot welding gun includes causing the traveling electrode of the welding gun to move at a first speed when performing a welding (working) cycle and to switch to a second speed at a point, the coordinate of which is calculated based on the point of contact of the coordinate of the electrode obtained at the configuration cycle performed before the working cycle. The method allows for a reduction in welding cycle time.

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 method for electric welding a workpiece arrangement having at least one workpiece with the aid of a robot arrangement including at least one robot. A rotational movement is carried out between the workpiece arrangement to be welded and at least one welding electrode which contacts the workpiece arrangement. The rotational movement is started as a function of a commanded and/or detected welding start and/or ended as a function of a commanded and/or detected welding end. The direction of rotation of the movement may be changed as a function of a predefined parameter during contact between the welding electrode and the workpiece arrangement.