Month: February 2022

Installing Climate Control Technology and Other Uses of Construction Welding

Posted on by norfas by norfas

Stud welding is used in many aspects of the building construction processes, from structural steel fabrication and sheet metal building to the installation of insulators, HVAC systems, and other types of climate control technology. If you live in a home built later than the 1950s, it’s likely that stud welding was used in some portion of its construction. Not only is stud welding used in installing insulation, fire protection, ducting, and other climate control building materials; it’s also used to integrate sound proofing in many areas of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings. If you’re building with stud welding operations, Northland Fastening Systems has the tools and supplies you need to get the job done correctly and economically. We provide a complete range of drawn arc and CD (capacitor discharge) studs, tools for rent or purchase, welding accessories, and the advice of our expert technicians. NFS also provides quick, long-lasting repairs and services for customers working with all kinds of construction welding for stud installation.

Construction Welding

Though drawn arc stud welding and most CD construction welding operations use studs with diameters wider than 4-40 (0.112 base diameter), some CD welding applications are used to install thin pins through insulative materials. This CD pin installation technology allows technicians to quickly attach insulation in multiple construction scenarios with strong connection points.

CD Pins

Some forms of insulation that are installed with CD pins include:

  • Building insulation sheets that cover the interior of walls, flooring, and roofs to keep indoor temperatures at comfortable levels without excessive energy expenditure
  • Heat and cold insulation protectors around heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducting
  • Insulating containers around air conditioning units
  • Industrial heat exchangers used in many manufacturing industries
  • Cooling systems for factories
  • Climate-controlled storage warehouses and refrigerated or frozen shipping containers
  • Coolrooms in industrial settings, storage, or transportation providers
  • Fireproofing for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, including spark-proofing in electrical enclosures, heat-proof plating in machinery, and more
  • Heavy-duty heat proofing and fire protection in power plants, incinerators and industrial furnaces, forges, refineries, and industrial buildings processing chemicals and petrochemicals
  • Cabin, sound, fire, and HVAC insulation on freighters, military vessels, cruise ships, and other large ships

Sound Proofing

Sound proofing insulators are also installed with larger CD and drawn arc studs. Sound proofing is important in the entertainment industry for recording studios, live venues, and movie theaters. It’s also utilized in municipal construction for roads, bridges, building facades, plumbing, and major ductwork to control noise pollution.

Welding Studs

Whether you’re using CD pins, other CD studs, or drawn arc welding studs for construction welding, Northland Fastening Systems has the supplies you need. To learn more about our selection of stud welding tools, studs, and accessories, contact us at (651) 730-7770, or request a quote online to get started with us today.

High-Integrity Thin-Gauge Connection Points with CD Stud Welding

Posted on by norfas by norfas

Early electrical capacitors date back as far as the mid-1700s. Those early rudimentary electrical charge storage systems developed over the next 250 years to the capacitors we use in many applications today. There are multiple variations of capacitors and supercapacitors used across contemporary industries that are highly advanced storage and release systems. Capacitor discharge technology is also utilized in stud welding applications for versatile, strong welds with thin base material. If you’re utilizing capacitor discharge (CD) stud welding systems, Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) has a comprehensive range of welding supplies, including tools for rent and purchase, studs in a range of dimensions with custom options available, welding accessories, and the technical support of our knowledgeable staff. There are many benefits that CD stud welding provides to manufacturers and technicians working with specific materials and small diameter studs.

CD Stud Welding

Not only does CD stud welding allow technicians to build with small diameter studs as, it’s also a manufacturing technique that allows work on thin-gauge welding surfaces without distortion. The ability to weld extremely small diameter studs onto thin surfaces without risking mark-through or structural distortion allows welders to install fasteners for a broad range of industries, including food-grade equipment and insulation. These processes help manufacturers build with integrity and meet specifications for unique products.

Dissimilar Metals

CD stud welding can also be used to fasten dissimilar metals like various steel grades, aluminum, copper, brass, and other alloys without compromising the strength of the weld surface or stud. This is because CD installation penetrates at shallow depths that don’t risk metallurgical issues.

With an ignition tip that is charged with the release of electrical current from a capacitor, CD tools generate a rapid weld with a clean, ideal cosmetic result. The process of CD stud welding done properly will have little-to-no burn marks, no marking on the backside of the weld surface, and a connection point even stronger than the stud itself.

Automated Production

When working with smaller diameter studs and thin welding surfaces, CD stud welding is also the most cost-effective for labor, materials, assembly, and energy in addition to being the most visually appealing. For components that can be installed in automated production lines, CD stud welding offers a rapid operation with precision on repeat.

High-Integrity Weld

CD stud welding creates such a high-integrity weld because of an exact calibration of heat and pressure. When the capacitor discharges its stored current and activates the ignition tip, the stud is heated and pressed into the weld surface at a specific pressure. The heat and pressure requirements depend on the diameter of the stud and the materials used. While contact CD stud welding is a more common process, some manufacturers will use gap welding tools. Gap welding is an effective operation when technicians who are working with aluminum and stainless steel require a completely mark-free back side.

To learn more about different CD stud welding operations, tools, and applications, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770. Or you can request a quote online to get started with us today.

Technical Details: CD Welding

Posted on by norfas by norfas

The vast majority of industrial manufacturing processes are highly regulated and standardized in today’s technologically advanced world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and many other regulators have established global guidelines that inform manufacturers, distributors, and customers of the quality of available goods and services. ISO approval registrations aren’t an industry requirement, but without a certificate appropriate to a company’s products, management systems, or practices, trusted customers and partners will be difficult to obtain. Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) follows ISO 9001 certificate regulations for the stud welding industry. As a provider of complete stud welding supplies, we understand the importance of quality parts, tools, and other products as well as standardized services. We offer stud welding supplies for drawn arc, short cycle, and CD welding, including tools for rent or purchase, a full variety of studs, and welding accessories. Our customers also benefit from tool repairs and servicing.

CD Welding

Whatever kind of welding operation you use, there are technical details and specifications that are critical to know and follow. For CD welding, in particular, technical details direct everything from the stud requirements to onsite welding conditions. Some basic CD specifications include:

Studs:

CD studs come in a variety of dimensions that are generally smaller than drawn arc welding studs. CD stud welding utilizes smaller dimension studs, pins, and other fasteners for quick, clean connections that will handle lighter shear loads than drawn arc welds, but meet requirements for food grade equipment, one-sided marking, and rapid operations. Studs come threaded internally or externally, and with partial to full thread specifications. Studs can also be flanged.

Materials:

CD stud welding does not require the use of ceramic ferrules, fluxes, or shielding gas. The weld is completed with an exact calibration of capacitor discharge generated heat and welding gun pressure. Studs are made from mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, or brass. They can be plated with copper, nickel, zinc, or other materials for various applications. CD studs can also be annealed when required.

Automation:

Because the process doesn’t need to use shielding gas or ferrules and because CD stud welding is a rapid, clean operation that results in a strong weld, it’s ideal for automation. CD studs can be loaded quickly and easily into auto feed systems and equipment controlled robotically through CNC software programs. They can also be loaded into a handheld auto feed gun.

Welding conditions:

CD stud welding requires relatively exact conditions for the successful installation of connectors. The tool, power supply, and other equipment need to be capable of welding the diameter, length, and material of your studs. The weld surface should be clean, free from lubricants or dust, and without imperfections like excessive roughness. The tip size, stud diameter, and angle of the tool must also be applied correctly for a good weld.

To learn more about the CD welding process and our selection of welding supplies, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.