A tool configured to join at least two material layers, of which at least one material layer is in the form of a metal material layer, by a pin. The tool includes a driving-in device which drives the pin through the at least two material layers to be joined, and a welding device which, after the driving-in of the pin, welds at least one first section of the pin to the at least one metal material layer.

An anchoring assembly for anchoring a liner of a cured lining material arranged to be applied in liquid form to a metal object provided with the anchoring assembly, the anchoring assembly including an elongated mounting pin and a ferrule provided at a first end thereof, wherein the pin is arranged to be mounted at the first end to the metal object, the anchoring assembly further including a plurality of spaced anchor fins connected to the pin at a second end and extending radially outward relative to the pin, wherein the ferrule includes a radially outwardly extending place holder part arranged to be held by a ferrule holder during mounting of the pin at the first end to the metal object.

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.

A method of projection welding hardware to a plated steel sheet for hot stamping, may include pressing hardware and a plated steel sheet in a state in which a welding projection on the hardware is in contact with the plated steel sheet, supplying a primary current to the hardware and the plated steel sheet in a state in which they are pressed, and supplying a secondary current to the hardware and the plated steel sheet.

Resistance spot rivet welding systems, subsystems, and methods of use thereof are provided.

An apparatus includes a housing, a pin, a mechanism and a sensor. The housing is configured to receive a weld head. The pin is configured to move linearly relative to said housing. The mechanism is configured to convert a position of said pin into a displacement. The sensor is configured to generate a value representative of said position of said pin based on said displacement.

An anchoring assembly for anchoring a liner of a cured lining material arranged to be applied in liquid form to a metal object provided with the anchoring assembly, the anchoring assembly including an elongated mounting pin and a ferrule provided at a first end thereof, wherein the pin is arranged to be mounted at the first end to the metal object, the anchoring assembly further including a plurality of spaced anchor fins connected to the pin at a second end and extending radially outward relative to the pin, wherein the ferrule includes a radially outwardly extending place holder part arranged to be held by a ferrule holder during mounting of the pin at the first end to the metal object.

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.

An apparatus includes a housing, a mechanism and a sensor. The housing may be configured to receive a weld head. The mechanism may be attached to the housing and configured to convert a position of a location pin relative to the housing into an angular rotation. The sensor may be coupled to the mechanism and configured to generate a value representative of the position of the location pin based on the angular rotation.

A sliding member integrated with a guide pin is inserted into a guide hole of an electrode main body. An elastic ring is integrated with the guide pin under a state in which the guide pin passes through the elastic ring. A portion of the sliding member has a pressurizing end surface configured to press the elastic ring against an inner end surface of the guide hole. When the pressurizing end surface presses the elastic ring against the inner end surface, flow of the cooling air is interrupted. When the elastic ring is away from the inner end surface, the cooling air is allowed to flow.