Stud Weld Fastening Systems Tips and Tricks

When performed with accurate calibration on a correctly prepared surface, stud welding is one of the strongest fastening systems available to manufacturers. A finished stud weld will be stronger than the stud and the surface material put together, which means the connection will never fail before the other components. This makes it a safer and more reliable system for fasteners, composite building, and more. If you’re working with drawn arc, capacitor discharge (CD), or short cycle stud welding operations, Northland Fastening Systems is your one-stop-shop for supplies, repair services, and advice. We offer tools for rent or purchase, welding studs in a complete range of dimensions, custom stud sizing and material options, welding accessories, a repair and maintenance service program, and the guidance of our own knowledgeable welding technicians.

 Tips and Advice for Proper Stud Welding

Stud welding can be a rapid, easy operation, but there are many steps that need to be taken to prepare a weld surface, tool, and stud. NFS technicians can always offer in-depth advice to customers about their tools, materials, stud sizes, and more, but there are many tips and tricks that can answer frequently asked questions and generally get you started. These following tips for fastening systems are standards almost all welders should follow for quality results:

  • Ensure you have adequate power for your tool
  • Power sources should be consistent to prevent heat fluctuations
  • Ground connections should be attached to a clean section of the welding surface
  • Cables should be well-maintained and long enough to reach weld sites safely, but still as short as possible to prevent tripping and other incidents
  • Contaminants like rust, paint, moisture, dirt, and air gaps will affect weld quality
  • Successful welds require an exact relationship between lift, plunge, time, and current
  • Ceramic ferrules used in drawn arc stud welding must be dry
  • Water/ice should be removed from the top flanges of studs before welding
  • Temperatures of welding materials should be above 0º F
  • Studs and welding surfaces should be rust-free
  • Ensure you are holding the welding gun at the correct angle while firmly maintaining the tip against the weld surface
  • When you pull the gun trigger, keep your hands steady and still during the weld
  • Always learn your tool and refer to its instruction manual before any welding project for recommended current calibration and welding times
  • Follow recommended maintenance procedures for your welding guns, cables, and other tool components
  • Perform bend tests on several of your first welds to ensure your connection points are properly fusing

For Advice and Supplies, Give Us a Call Today!

There are many other aspects of a welding scenario, steps that should be taken to prepare a weld, and other factors of your weld site you should take into account before launching into a project, but these are some general tips to adhere to. To learn more about stud weld fastening systems and our supplies, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770. Request a quote online to get started with us today.

Food Grade Welding Eliminates Harborage

Not only is stud welding a key operation for the construction industry, including composite construction with shear connectors in bridges, roads, and other infrastructure, it’s also utilized on smaller manufacturing scales for equipment like electrical enclosures, food grade instruments, and commercial kitchen appliances. In the food industry, stud welding serves an important purpose when it comes to manufacturing factory processing systems and equipment. Because stud welding creates clean results and strong welds without marking through on the reverse surface, it can be used to build smooth surfaces with full wash-down capabilities. If you’re working with food grade welding for the production of food industry or commercial food equipment, Northland Fastening Systems has the supplies you need for drawn arc, capacitor discharge (CD), and short cycle welding. We provide tools for rent and purchase, studs in a complete range of dimensions with custom options available, welding accessories, automation support, the advice of our own skilled technicians, and services and repairs for most models.

Food Grade Welding Makes Equipment Easier to Clean

Food grade welding with studs makes equipment easier to clean, helping commercial kitchens and food production facilities maintain sanitation practices and support good hygiene. Food products made on an industrial scale can be one of the main sources of foodborne illness epidemics. To eliminate the risk of food contamination, stud welding reduces the potential of harborage.

What is Harborage?

In the food industry, harborage occurs when particles are trapped in crevices, bends, and other hard-to-clean nooks and crannies in equipment. Not only does this introduce rotting or pathogenic food particles that can damage the integrity of other products; it can also increase the risk of rodents and insects in a facility. Stud welding reduces harborage by removing the crevices potentially left by other types of fastening systems.

Connection Points are Clean

Stud welding connection points are clean, smooth, and fully fused. Food grade stud welding processes also use antiseptic stainless-steel surfaces that resist corrosion or oxidation. With most designs, stud welding engineering can also reduce external angles and corners, eliminate risks of overstressed surfaces, and fully seal connection points from microscopic pitting.

Where Can Harborage Occur?

Harborage can occur in equipment that is not manufactured to the highest food safety standards in several areas, including control panels, equipment legs, cracks, crevices, hardware, moving parts, HVAC equipment, multiple surface types, and any wet areas. To fully remove problems with harborage in these areas, stud welding systems should be installed whenever possible.

Full Wash Down

With a tight connection point and no crevices, zero marks on the opposite side of the weld surface, low-stress surfaces, and corrosion-resistant materials that are compatible with full wash down capabilities, food grade welding can significantly reduce the risk of harborage in industrial processing and commercial kitchens.

For more information about fastening systems for food equipment and the welding supplies we provide, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770, or request a quote online to get started with us today.

NFS Has Been a Family-Owned Supplier of Stud Fastening Systems Supplies since 1987

In 1987, Ken Gobout founded Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) after leaving a job in sales. NFS is based in Woodbury, MN, and supplies tools, studs, and welding accessories to a range of industries.​​ Since the late 1980s, the stud welding industry has changed in various ways, including the customers, facilities, equipment, and practices. The constant for Ken and his two sons, Jason and Brent, has always been the value of trustworthy business operations. Jason is now the president of the company, while Brent oversees all NFS sales. Thanks to their participation in the business over the years, Ken is now semi-retired after fully transitioning ownership to his sons. Today, NFS is known for going the extra mile for customers: providing high-quality, reliable services and having great customer service. If you are in need of fastening systems supplies, NFS is your one-stop shop for drawn arc, capacitor discharge (CD), and short cycle welding tools, studs, and accessories.

Welding Accessories

In addition to tools available for rent or purchase, welding studs in a complete range of standard dimensions, custom stud options available, and many welding accessories, NFS also provides tool repairs and offers customers the advice of our own welding experts. We have over 30 years of experience repairing and servicing tools of all ages. Our team has seen the advancements of stud welding technology over time and is well versed with generational variations and current models.

Our team repairs and services models from major fastening systems brands, including HBS, Tru-Weld, ProWeld, ERICO, AGM, MFI, NOVA, Cutlass, Nelson, and tension control tools.

Customer First Approach

NFS implements a customer-first approach in all our operations, sales, and quality control practices. Our business thrives today because we have grown with community-focused ideals and neighborly values. NFS customers return to us for the trusted familiarity and support they receive, whether they are looking to resupply on their “usual” studs or want detailed information on a tool rental.

Fastening Systems

Our customer base ranges from professionals working with fully automated systems to do-it-yourself (DIY) welders just getting started. No matter what level you’re working on, our staff and welding technicians are eager to provide any advice and guidance you might need. While about 80% of our business came from the construction industry when we started in 1987, today 80% of our business comes from the industrial market and 20% comes from construction. This means we work with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and other customers around the world, but we’re also here to support our local welders in Minnesota and the greater Midwest region.

Stud Welding

NFS values stud welding because it’s a highly important manufacturing operation for many industries. It provides a rapid, strong connection point with no backside marking, and it’s compatible with many different metals. Composite building with shear connectors is also critical for infrastructure like roads and bridges.

To learn more about using stud welding fastening systems and our work as a family-owned company, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770. You can also request a quote online to get started with us today.