A shear stud welding system is disclosed. The system comprises a shear stud holder, a robotic arm and a microcontroller. The shear stud holder comprises a turret and a first motor coupled to the turret and configured to rotate the turret about an axis to a predetermined angle such that a shear stud among the plurality of shear studs is at a dispensing position. The robotic arm is configured to transfer the shear stud from the shear stud holder to a workpiece. The microcontroller is configured to control the movement of the robotic arm to pick up the shear stud from the dispensing position and transfer the shear stud holder to the workpiece at a welding position and cause the first motor to rotate the turret to a predetermined angle to cause a shear stud among the plurality of shear studs assume the dispensing position.

A device and a method for welding a welding stud to a substrate are disclosed. A welding current is applied to a welding stud between the welding stud and the substrate, whereby a material of the welding stud and the substrate is partially liquefied. The welding stud is then immersed into the solidifying material of the welding stud or the substrate in order to create a bond between the welding stud and the substrate.

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 component filling device and a component filling method are provided which, with a configuration that does not involve contact with the workpiece during a stud gun welding operation, can fill a component supply device with a prescribed number of components from a component feeding device. The component filling device (a stud filling device) is provided with: a component storage unit (a tube) which, inside of a component storage hole (the tube hole), can store a prescribed number of components (studs) aligned from a stopping unit towards the top; and a switching mechanism which comprises multiple moving bodies (balls), which can move between a position contacting a component and a position not contacting the component, and a lock unit (a rotation member), which restricts the moving bodies from moving, wherein the switching mechanism can switch between a state in which the stopping unit stops the components and a state in which the components are allowed to pass.

Provided are a stud supply device and a stud supply method with which a stud can be supplied to a welding electrode in the correct orientation. The stud supply device comprises: a magazine in which a predetermined number of studs can be aligned and stored in series inside a magazine hole from a stop part to one end side; switching mechanisms having a plurality of balls that can move between a position contacting the studs and a position not contacting the studs, and a reciprocating member that restricts the movement of the plurality of balls, the switching mechanisms switching between a state in which the studs are stopped at the stop part and a state in which the studs are allowed to pass; and a first air injection part that is provided more on the one end side than the stop part, and that injects air from the one end side to the stud stopped at the stop part.

A robotic shear stud welding system includes a stud feeder, a ferrule feeder, at least one work zone, a robot, and a welding gun. The stud feeder is configured to hold a plurality of studs and feed a single stud therefrom. The ferrule feeder is configured to hold a plurality of ferrules and feed a single ferrule therefrom. The robot has a controllable arm that is configured to accurately move between the stud feeder, the ferrule feeder, and each of the at least one work zones. The welding gun is attached to the distal end of the controllable arm. The welding gun is configured to pick up the single stud from the stud feeder, pick up the single ferrule from the ferrule feeder and position the single ferrule at a bottom of the single stud, and shoot the single stud to a workpiece in one of the at least one work zones.

A shear stud feeder for a stud welding gun may include a support frame having a first slide rail and a second slide rail longitudinally spaced apart from the first slide rail to form a slot therebetween. The shear stud feeder may also include a magazine removably engaged with the support frame. The magazine may be adapted to support a plurality of shear studs by the head of each shear stud in a manner in which the body of each shear stud hangs below a bottom of the magazine and wherein the magazine is adapted to dispense the plurality of shear studs to the slot. The shear stud feeder may include a feed mechanism disposed adjacent to either the first slide rail or the second slide rail and a gate assembly adjacent to a front end of each of the first slide rail and the second slide rail.

A loading pin, for a joining device, having a first axial end portion connectable to an axial drive, and having a second axial end portion which is realized for the purpose of exerting an axial force onto a joining element in order to push the joining element into a holding device and/or in order to support the joining element axially during a joining process, wherein the loading pin comprises an axial hollow channel portion through which a joining element is guidable in an axial feed direction. The loading pin partially defines a lateral joining element feed opening, via which a joining element is feedable into the hollow channel portion.

A method of securing a fastener to a workpiece includes a fastener that is loaded into a feeder, and an insertion head assembly that is provided adjacent to the feeder. The insertion head assembly includes an insertion actuator that has a movable insertion piston, and a clamp finger that is mounted to the insertion piston. The fastener is arranged beneath a movable fastener joining element that is carried by the insertion head assembly, the workpiece is positioned relative to a locating pin, the insertion head assembly is moved to engage the workpiece with the clamp finger, the fastener is brought into engagement with a locating pin, the fastener joining element is advanced relative to the clamp finger, and the fastener that is secured to the workpiece.

The present application teaches systems and methods for automating all or portions of a construction process including the steps of locating stud welding locations on the surface of an I-beam, I-beam grinding, ferrule placement, stud placement and welding to ground welding sites, and ferrule fracturing.