Month: January 2020

The Use of Ceramic Ferrules in Drawn Arc Stud Welding

Posted on by norfas by norfas

Stud welding is a widely used manufacturing operation for connecting various components, support structures, assemblies, and composite construction. While there are many applications for various types of stud welding, drawn arc stud welding in particular is used for heavy-duty construction using studs with dimensions typically larger than ¼”. Drawn arc welding studs also utilize a ceramic ferrule in the bonding process. This ferrule helps create a bond that is stronger than both the welding stud and the material being welded to. When you work with Northland Fastening Systems for all your drawn arc stud welding projects, you have access to all the high-quality studs, welding tools, and accessories you need.

 

Working with a ceramic ferrule to establish strong bonds using the drawn arc stud welding process requires specific tools and practices including a drawn arc gun and calibrated unit, drawn arc studs, ceramic ferrule sized correctly, and an adequate power source.

 

How it works: The ceramic ferrule works to surround and contain the welding stud during the weld. As the drawn arc current heats the tip of the stud and the metal becomes molten, the ring-shaped ferrule keeps the metal from spreading into a messy weld. The ceramic ferrule also protects the weld from exposure to oxygen in the air. Oxygen exposure can lead to porous or weakened welds. Additionally, the ferrule creates a protective barrier reducing UV exposure. Once the weld is complete, the ferrule is chipped away leaving a clean, perfectly formed weld.

 

Ceramic ferrules are required for drawn arc stud welding because the process is a longer weld time than other welds, the welding studs are typically thicker in diameter, and the weld will be required to hold greater weights than other welding formats.

 

Short cycle welding uses inert shielding gas instead of ceramic ferrules, and CD stud welding uses a different process entirely that doesn’t have the risk of molten metal spread. Instead, CD welding uses an exact combination of pressure and current frequency to heat the metal stud and bond it to the surface material.

 

If you’re working with drawn arc stud welding operations on your job site, Northland Fastening Systems can provide all the studs, accessories, and welding tools for rent or purchase you might need from the start of your project to the finish.

 

To learn more about drawn arc stud welding and the use of ceramic ferrules, contact Northland Fastening Systems today at (651) 730-7770, and feel free to explore our selection of drawn arc welding studs or other items online or request a quote.

Inspection Practices for CD Stud Welding Quality

Posted on by norfas by norfas

Stud welding of all types can be one of the most effective manufacturing operations in a wide range of industries when it is applied correctly. While drawn arc welding is key for large-scale construction with heavier studs, capacitor discharge (CD) stud welding is an excellent operation for clean, rapid welds used in lightweight construction or smaller assemblies. With Northland Fastening Systems (NFS), you can find studs for drawn arc and CD stud welding in all dimensions, a comprehensive selection of welding tools for rent or purchase, complete welding accessories, and the expertise of our skilled welding technicians. An important part of any stud-welding operation that our technicians can provide guidance and support for is the weld inspection process.

 

The weld inspection process for CD stud welding can take several steps depending on factors of the weld condition, the stud dimensions, and the materials used. The two primary methods of inspecting the quality of a CD weld connection are visual and mechanical diagnostics.

 

Visual Diagnostics: To inspect a CD weld visually, there are several conditions a welder should look for. First, if there is any splattering of the metal, the weld may be weakened due to a too-hot weld. Next, look for a lack of metal melted around the base of the stud. Too little metal shows the weld was cold. Additionally, if there is any reverse-side marking on the component opposite the weld, there may have been too much pressure or heat during the weld. Finally, if the stud is indented or sunk into a divot in the base material, the stud is weakened by too much pressure or heat in the weld.

 

Mechanical Diagnostics: Mechanical inspections depend entirely on several aspects of the weld. This includes the stud dimensions, the material of the stud, the material of the base material, the thread size of the stud, the time and pressure of the weld operation, and the heat/voltage of the welding tool. To determine the yield load, ultimate tensile load, yield torque, ultimate torque, and shear strength of any CD weld, all the preceding listed aspects of the weld must be taken into consideration.

 

To perform a weld successfully with long-term reliability, both visual and mechanical inspection practices must be put in place in your production process. With the comprehensive supply of CD stud welding and drawn arc stud welding tools Northland Fastening Systems has available, you can implement stud welding into your operations. Contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 today, or request a quote online to get started with us today.

Why International Certification Is Important for Stud-Welding Equipment

Posted on by norfas by norfas

At Northland Fastening Systems, we’re committed to providing excellence in all areas of our services and stud-welding equipment that we offer. Our comprehensive selection of welding studs, stud accessories, welding tools for rent and purchase, and all other stud-welding equipment meets national and international standards for the stud-welding industry. Not only do our services and products meet the International Organization for Standardization’s requirements for an ISO certification, we also meet Quality Assurance Standards (QAS) International standards for practices and stud-welding equipment.

 

Our ISO 9001:2015 certification for international excellence is a mark of our dedication to upholding industrial standards of quality for both our practices and all the stud-welding equipment we offer to our customers. Our current certification was granted through QAS International, a certification company working in global industrial markets. Our international certificate of quality means our practices meet worldwide standards for quality, precision, reliability, safety, and customer care.

 

An international certification means several pluses for NFS, including the improvement of quality and expertise for many parts of the stud-welding industry.

 

Other pluses include improvements to:

  1. Productivity: Manufacturers that work with NFS find that our reliability, quality of product, and technical expertise improve their own productivity. Both project management and fabrication practices are streamlined and improved when our customers have access to our services and products.
  2. Waste Reduction: Our customers also see a decrease in waste generated from the start to finish of any project. Our professional guidance and superior products dramatically reduce time and money spent on repairing or repeating welds.
  3. Quality Control: Thanks to improvements in productivity and waste reduction, manufacturers can dedicate more time to quality control, including testing, diagnostics, troubleshooting, prototyping, and real-time function simulations.
  4. Workplace Safety: In addition to more time for quality control, customers working with NFS can also put more energy into improving their workplace, expanding workplace safety, and overall increasing the morale and motivation of their team members.
  5. Customer Satisfaction: Because of the motivation of staff, improvements to production, and quality of product, customer satisfaction from our customers to theirs is increased. The service and products all customers receive is better, and they are happier thanks to our international certification.

 

The internationalization of stud-welding standards and industrial standards overall makes a more specific outline of what manufacturers need to do to meet the highest caliber of service and product. Starting with our ISO certification and an internationally recognized quality of product and service, we can all work together to improve the industrial world as a whole. To learn more about the stud-welding equipment and services we offer, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 today, or request a quote online to get started with our team now.