A welding auxiliary joining part with which a welding connection, more particularly a resistance welding connection, can be established between a first component A made of a poorly weldable material and a second component made of weldable material. The welding auxiliary joining part is distinguished by a cylindrical punch shaft that can be punchingly pressed into the first component A approximately rotation-free. The punch shaft has an element head at the head underside of which only one continuous circumferential clamping ring is arranged that projects axially in the direction of the punch shaft.

A method for joining different kinds of metal materials includes: preparing a rivet, a plurality of metal members, and a first electrode and a second electrode, each having shanks and electrode portions provided at the tips of the shanks; sandwiching the rivet and the plurality of metal members between a first electrode and a second electrode; and embedding the rivet into the metal member by pressurization and energization using the first electrode and the second electrode. The preparation step includes preparing, as the first electrode and the second electrode, two electrodes that satisfy a condition in which each of electrical resistance values of the first and second electrodes is lower than or equal to a sum of an electrical resistance value of the plurality of metal members to be joined and an electrical resistance value of the rivet.

An iron rivet including a head and a shank, an aluminum plate, an iron plate, and first and second electrodes are prepared. A sandwiching step of sandwiching the rivet, the aluminum plate, and the iron plate between the first electrode and the second electrode, a penetration step of performing pressurization and current application by the first and second electrodes so that the shank penetrates through the aluminum plate, and a forming step of performing pressurization and current application by the first and second electrodes so that a nugget is formed between the shank and the iron plate are included. In the penetration step, the pressurization and current application is performed while air is blown to a side face of the shank so that the air hits a region around a boundary between the shank and the aluminum plate.

An aluminum plate (103) is overlaid on a steel plate (102). A distal end (113) of a button component (101) is pushed in from the obverse surface side of the aluminum plate (103), and the distal end (113) is abutted against the steel plate (102) by applying a first pressure to the button component (101) made of steel without heating. The distal end (113) of the button component (101) and the steel plate (102) are welded by resistance spot welding while applying a second pressure lower than the first pressure to the button component (101).

A joined body includes: a thin plate including through holes; a first member including a proximal portion having a portion contacting the thin plate, and a protruding portion that protrudes in relation to a contact surface of the proximal portion and is inserted through the through hole; and a second member arranged oppositely to the proximal portion via the thin plate and made of a material that is same as that of the first member. The thin plate is made of a material having a specific gravity smaller than that of the material forming the first and the second members. The second member and an end portion of the protruding portion are connected to each other, by a part of the second member and a part of the end portion being melt-solidified, the end portion being at a side opposite to a side connected to the proximal portion.

An apparatus and method for method for joining materials includes a rivet that may extend through a first sheet to be resistance welded to a second sheet. The head of the rivet has a cavity and vents allowing adhesive extruded from a pilot hole to be received in the cavity and vented in a direction parallel to the first sheet. The rivet is deformed to an hourglass shape that fills the pilot hole and displaces the first sheet into the cavity. Rivet dimension allow for holding with a robotic gripper that can be withdrawn before welding. Methods of monitoring joint quality include comparing welding parameter profiles and images of good and discrepant joints.

A securing system, such as a welding system, includes a robot configured to transfer a part to a home position. A securing station has a frame and a gun supported on the frame. The gun includes first and second members movable relative to one another, which are first and second weld gun electrodes, for example. The gun is configured to secure a component to the part in a securing position during a securing operation. A float assembly interconnects the gun to the frame and is configured to permit the gun to glide relative to the welding frame between the home position and the securing position. A homing assembly includes a homing guide configured to release the welding gun from the home position during the securing operation, such as resistance welding fasteners to sheet metal workpieces.

A securing system, such as a welding system, includes a robot configured to transfer a part to a home position. A securing station has a frame and a gun supported on the frame. The gun includes first and second members movable relative to one another, which are first and second weld gun electrodes, for example. The gun is configured to secure a component to the part in a securing position during a securing operation. A float assembly interconnects the gun to the frame and is configured to permit the gun to glide relative to the welding frame between the home position and the securing position. A homing assembly includes a homing guide configured to release the welding gun from the home position during the securing operation, such as resistance welding fasteners to sheet metal workpieces.

The inserts includes ahead part including a docking portion intended to receive a welding electrode, a peripheral rim, intended to bear against the receiving part, and a body part intended to extend through the first part, the body part having a distal end intended to be welded to the second part. The docking portion is connected to the peripheral rim by connection means configured to allow the translation of the docking portion and of the body part with respect to the peripheral rim under the effect of a distal pressure exerted on the docking portion during the operation of assembling the first and second parts.

A method for welding includes arranging an aluminum component including a cavity adjacent to a steel component; and using a weld tool including an electrode and arms configured to engage a rivet, arranging the rivet in the cavity in contact with the steel component. A volume of a portion of the rivet located above of the cavity is approximately equal to an annular volume between a stem of the rivet and an inner surface of the cavity. The method includes applying pressure on the rivet using the electrode; and applying current to the electrode to weld the rivet in the cavity.