Month: October 2022

Stud welding is a versatile manufacturing operation that can be utilized for a broad range of fastening systems. Because of the many uses of stud welding, various stud weld operations are used throughout industries. From automotive to medical industries, many manufacturers rely on stud welding for safe, long-lasting connections. Another important function stud welding provides is in composite construction for infrastructure and large-scale building. If you are using the stud welding process for any kind of composite construction or other structural building, Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) has the supplies, tools, and technical support you need. We provide a comprehensive selection of drawn arc and capacitor discharge (CD) studs, welding tools for rent or purchase, welding accessories, and repair services for a range of welding models.

Stud welding process using composite construction:

Composite construction is a key part of building with materials like concrete and steel, both of which are significant factors of road and bridge infrastructure, multistory buildings, and other large-scale constructions. In fact, without the stud welding process, some of the world’s tallest buildings today wouldn’t be possible.

Tallest buildings made with the stud welding process:

Burj Khalifa:

Built in 2010 in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa still holds the title of tallest in the world. It reaches 2,717 feet with 163 floors and one additional floor below ground. The Burj Khalifa is built in a neo-futuristic style and relies on a structural skeleton of reinforced concrete, steel, and aluminum.

Merdeka 118:

One of the newest of the world’s tall buildings, the Merdeka 118 was completed in 2022 in the capital city of Malaysia. The Merdeka (meaning “independence” in Indonesian) Tower is a combination of neo-futuristic style and a Malay traditional songket pattern. The tower stands 2,227 feet with 118 floors and five others below ground.

Shanghai Tower:

Until the construction of the Merdeka 118 tower, the Shanghai Tower held the title of second tallest. It was built in Shanghai in 2015 and stands 2,073 feet tall. It has 128 floors, with five additional floors below ground.

Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower:

Constructed in 2012 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Abraj Al-Bait Clock Tower stands 1,972 feet tall. It has 120 floors, with three others below ground. The tower is built in a postmodern, neo-classical style, featuring an ornate (and enormous) atomic clock and golden spire.

Ping An International Finance Center:

The Ping An tower was constructed in 2017 in Shenzhen, China. It stands 1,966 feet (to its tip) and has 115 floors, with five additional below ground. It currently has the world’s highest observation deck at 1,844 feet.

Composite construction using stud welding process:

These are just some of the hundreds of super tall buildings in the world built with composite construction using steel and concrete. The stud welding process makes it possible to form powerful connections and shear force absorbers with those materials to construct taller and taller buildings.

To learn more about our stud welding supplies, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.

 

Metal working and, in particular, constructing tools and equipment with metals is a practice dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages. The Bronze Age began in about 3300 BCE and led into the Iron Age around 1200 BCE. Over thousands of years, our understanding of metals and the application of different metal objects expanded greatly. Even in the last 50 years, scientific research and development of high-performance metal alloys has advanced significantly, including improvements to sheet metal. Today, many industries are reliant on sheet metal for the fabrication of countless tools and equipment. Some of our largest global industries completely rely on the production of high-quality, specialized sheet metals for manufacturing. For example, the automotive, aerospace, railroad, oil, electronics, food, medical, computer, military, agricultural, and construction industries would be unable to operate without access to sheet metals. Within the majority of those industries, construction welding is used to apply studs and build with sheet metals for strong, clean fastening systems. At Northland Fastening Systems (NFS), one of the main industries we supply with studs, tools, accessories, and other equipment is the sheet metal welding industry.

Studs Attached With Construction Welding

Structural steel building with sheet metals includes several steps on the production line, including cutting, bending, assembling, and more. Stud welding fasteners are an important part of the fabrication process. Studs attached with construction welding have a strong bond to sheet metal surfaces; they offer a clean, mark-free finish, and they are an affordable, efficient fastener option.

Grades of Sheet Metal

Stud welding can be used in all kinds of applications with any grade of sheet metal. While there are many kinds of sheet metals available today three main categories of all sheeting still remain: commercial, industrial, and structural.

1. Commercial metal sheeting is used to build a wide range of products marketed to individual consumers and businesses. Common examples of products made with commercial metal sheeting include appliances, electronics, and cars. Commercial metal sheeting is so prevalent across industries that almost every household and business will use a product made with stud welding sheeting daily.
2. Industrial metal sheeting is used to manufacture parts that can be integrated into other products down the line. Manufacturers are the main purchasers of industrial sheeting, and they typically use that material to make parts for tools like bandsaws, drill presses, hydraulic systems, and more.
3. Structural steel sheeting is used in the construction welding industry. Sheeting installed in buildings and infrastructure like skyscrapers, bridges, water towers, shops, factories, and even homes are all structural metals. Stud welding is used throughout many construction welding processes.

For more information on our supplies and how we support sheet metal fabrication industries, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.

Stud welding is one of the most valuable operations as a fastening system for the manufacturing and industrial world. Various types of stud welding have hundreds of applications, from large-scale infrastructure to tiny insulation pins. The stud welding process is versatile, quick, and when performed correctly, provides a powerful connection point with greater benefits than other fastening systems. Stud welding operations began in the early 1900s in the shipbuilding industry, but since then, have spread to many other applications and sectors of industry. No matter what you’re utilizing stud welding for, Northland Fastening Systems (NFS) can help you get the job done with our comprehensive selection of tools, studs, and other supplies. We provide tools for rent or purchase, studs in a broad range of dimensions with custom options available, stud welding accessories, repairs of most tool models, and the expert support of our own welding technicians.

Stud Welding Process

The three types of stud welding—drawn arc, capacitor discharge (CD), and short cycle— each has its own range of applications throughout different industries. Drawn arc welding is typically used in “heavy duty” applications like shear connectors in composite construction and headed anchor studs in concrete embedments. CD and short cycle welding are often used for rapid, lightweight connection points with smaller diameter studs and pins, such as the installment of insulation.

Three Types of the Stud Welding Process

All three types of stud welding have important uses that fall into the great range of stud welding applications, including the following.

Construction:

Composite construction with concrete and steel, beams, sewage and plumbing system pipes, roads, bridges, and many other applications use stud welding as a fastening system. Strength, flexibility, and other properties of studs make these construction techniques possible.

Automotive:

Stud welding is highly prevalent throughout the automotive industry. Cars, trucks, and other vehicles rely on the precision and strength of welding studs for fastening sheet metals, exhaust systems, heat shields, insulation, power steering, electrical wiring, and more.

Food:

In the restaurant, catering, food processing, packaging, and even home kitchen appliance industries, stud welding is a critical tool for building food-safe equipment. Hygiene and sanitation are the most important features of food production equipment, and stud welding allows systems to be built with the least risk of contamination.

Shipbuilding:

Stud welding is still important in its root industry. Stud application was largely relied on for building naval and freight ships during wartime throughout the 20th century, but today stud welding is used on all kinds of vessels, from battleships and submarines to small motor boats and yachts.

There are many other industries that utilize stud welding operations. Manufacturers fabricating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; furniture; agricultural equipment; electronics; signs; and even decorative items all use various forms of stud welding.

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