Month: July 2019

Technical Specifications and the Engineering of Stud Welding

Posted on by norfas by norfas

As one of the most versatile and widely used fastening systems, stud welding is an invaluable operation for a broad range of manufacturing industries. Because of its wide range of uses, stud welding has to meet a large number of engineering specifications, such as sizing, strength, materials, format, and process specifications. For any stud-welding project specifications, Northland Fastening Systems provides services and offers equipment, studs, accessories, and everything you need to get the job done.

 

Stud welding can be performed with drawn arc welding or CD welding units that vary in sizes, portability, and capability. Though both drawn arc and CD welding are rapid operations that provide a weld connection stronger than the stud and surface material combined, they differ in several ways when it comes to the engineering specifications.

 

Drawn Arc Stud Welding

  1. Materials used:
    1. Low-carbon steel with tensile strength of 60,000 psi minimum, a yield strength of 50,000 psi minimum, and a 20% minimum elongation in 2 inches. When annealed, the tensile strength becomes 50,000 psi, yield becomes 35,000 psi, and elongation becomes 25%.
    2. Stainless steel with tensile strength of 85,000 psi minimum, a yield strength of 40,000 psi minimum, and a 45% minimum elongation in 2 inches.
  2. Stud fastening torques:
    1. For low-carbon steel with studs ranging from 8-32 to 1”-8: between 17.8 and 2831 lbs per inch.
    2. For stainless steel with studs ranging from 8-32 to 1”-8: between 19.8 and 3440 lbs per inch.

 

CD Stud Welding

CD welding studs use a variety of materials from steel to brass. Each stud material provides a successful weld that is dependent on the base material. Some are more suited to a base material than others. For example:

  1. Mild steel:
    1. Excellent when welded to other mild steels, galvanized sheet materials, structural steel, stainless steel, and lead-free brass, rolled copper, and electrolytic copper
    2. Good when welded to medium-carbon steels and die-cast zinc alloys
    3. Cannot be welded to common aluminum alloys
  2. Stainless steel:
    1. Excellent when welded to mild steels, galvanized sheet materials, structural steel, stainless steel, and lead-free brass, rolled copper, and electrolytic copper
    2. Good when welded to medium-carbon steel and die-cast zinc alloys
    3. Cannot be welded to common aluminum alloys
  3. Aluminum:
    1. Excellent when welded to die-cast zinc alloys and common aluminum alloys
    2. Cannot be welded to mild steels, galvanized sheet materials, structural steel, stainless steel, and lead-free brass, rolled copper, or electrolytic copper
  4. Brass:
    1. Excellent when welded to mild steels, structural steel, stainless steel, and lead-free brass, rolled copper, and electrolytic copper
    2. Good when welded to medium-carbon steel and die-cast zinc alloys
    3. Cannot be welded to galvanized sheet materials and common aluminum alloys

 

Learn more about engineering specifications in the stud welding industry with Northland Fastening Systems. To get started with us today, call (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.

Benefits of Copper Plated Studs for CD Stud Welding

Posted on by norfas by norfas

Copper is a unique metal in many ways, from its rich coloring and conductivity to its resistance to corrosion, despite a quick oxidizing of the outer layer. Exposed to tarnishing conditions, the warm orange-brown of copper eventually becomes the green patina many sculptors and builders desire. In addition to its range of cosmetic uses, copper is also highly useful for many industrial and otherwise practical applications.

Because of its electrical conductivity, copper wiring and other components are frequently used in electronic applications, but it’s also used extensively for specific manufacturing purposes. For example, Northland Fastening Systems uses copper plating for many studs used in high-quality CD stud welding and offers copper plated studs for sale ranging in length, diameter, and threading.

CD stud welding is a highly effective manufacturing process for clean, strong, rapidly-made connection points between the stud and the base surface. Not only is CD stud welding well-suited to fabricating food service equipment, electrical enclosures, construction welding, and much more, it’s also widespread in shipbuilding, automotive manufacturing, and countless other types of large-scale construction. Copper plated studs are frequently beneficial for use in these stud welding operations for several reasons, including:

  • copper’s conductivity provides a clean, highly rapid weld as a plated surface
  • its overall resistance to corrosion in comparison with non-plated steel studs
  • its improved electrical conduction for specific applications
  • its ability to slow or prevent alloyed elements from migrating
  • in some applications, copper plating improves solderability
  • it extends the dimensional tolerance of the stud
  • copper plating can improve the service life of any given weld and stud itself

 

Copper plating for our CD studs is standard, including studs made from aluminum, mild steel, and brass. Both flanged and non-flanged studs benefit from copper plating in dimensions ranging from:

  • 2-56 to ⅜-16 stud diameter
  • .125 to .437 flange diameter
  • .250 to .500 minimum stud length
  • ⅝ to 2-½ full stud length
  • 4-40 to ⅜ – 16 threading

 

CD stud welding is an excellent operation for such a wide range of applications that it’s become a constant for many contract manufacturers and construction crews as well as a useful tool for stud welding specialists. Copper plating opens an even wider range for stud welding, and at NFS you get the best of both worlds. In addition to CD stud welding tools for rent and purchase, we offer a comprehensive variety of studs for CD welding, drawn arc welding studs, drawn arc tools, and automation equipment.

 

To learn more about CD stud welding and copper plated studs, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770 today or request a quote online.

The Importance of the Stud Welding Process in the U.S. Navy from WWII to Today

Posted on by norfas by norfas

For years, the stud welding process has been used for fabrication of all kinds of large-scale construction projects, including a high prevalence and cruciality to the shipbuilding industry. Despite the importance and well-documented use of stud welding in the maritime industry today, it wasn’t always such a highly prominent fabrication process. In fact, it wasn’t until the U.S .Navy’s use of stud welding during World War II (WWII) that the world began to recognize the stud welding process as a superior manufacturing operation for stronger, faster, lighter, and longer-lasting ships. Whether you are a player in the maritime industry or are working on a smaller scale project, Northland Fastening Systems has everything you need to complete the stud welding process from start to finish, including stud welders, studs, accessories, and our own stud welding services.

 

Stud welding was one of the most important manufacturing processes for shipbuilding and the U.S. Navy in WWII. Although stud welding was commonly used in shipbuilding since the early 1900s, the results were still creating warships, freighters, and other large vessels that were heavy, slow, and required an excess of materials. By the 1930s, the United States realized it needed a strong marine and naval force to protect the country.

 

In the face of the war and a lackluster maritime presence, the U.S. Congress passed the Merchant Marine Act in 1936, which helped both U.S. merchant ships and the U.S. Navy revolutionize their maritime presence, almost completely thanks to the act’s requirement of improved ship construction. To meet this requirement, a stud welding technique that the American Welding Society and the New York Navy Yard developed in 1930 was vital.

 

This stud welding technique provided a way to connect wood directly to steel. The new ships built in accordance with the Merchant Maritime Act relied heavily on this technique and other stud welding processes to build ships unparalleled by any other navy at the time. In many ways, stud welding helped the United States and its allies win WWII.

 

Since the use of stud welding processes in shipbuilding during WWII, naval and merchant vessels have benefited from huge advancements in welding units, welding guns, studs, and other stud welding techniques. Even today, with the range of futuristic manufacturing capabilities, stud welding is a staple for maritime industries.

 

To learn more about the use of stud welding processes in shipbuilding and many other industries, or to get the supplies you need, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online today.