Author: norfas

Specialized Groups of Construction Equipment Built with Steel Weld Studs

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There are many tools and types of equipment we use daily that are built with stud welding processes. From the cars we drive to the appliances we use in our kitchens, stud welding operations are frequently called on for efficient, strong fasteners throughout various industries. The prevalence of stud welding being used for various fastening systems is due to its many benefits. Stud welding creates a powerful connection point with clean results. It can also be used in fastening multiple materials, including steel, aluminum, copper, and brass, and it’s reliable for composite construction to combine materials like concrete and wood to steel beams. If you’re working with steel weld studs on your production floor or job site, you can find everything you need to get your project completed at Northland Fastening Systems (NFS).

Steel Weld Studs

One major use of steel weld studs is in the manufacturing of construction equipment. Common construction equipment, such as excavators, cranes, dump trucks, and backhoes, are all built with steel studs, but many specialized types of equipment also rely on the use of stud welding in their fabrication.

  1. Dragline excavator: Used typically for excavation at greater depths, a dragline excavator has a long boom with digging buckets suspended from cables. These excavators are critical for the removal of sediment underwater. They are used in the construction of ports, marinas, canals, and for clearing pathways for water traffic.
  2. Trenchers: For pipe laying, cables, irrigation, drainage, and other systems, trenchers are used to dig long, deep ditches in the earth. They have a fixed arm with a digging chain or tooth-bladed digging wheels. Wheeled trenchers are best suited to cut through hard-packed earth and gravel.
  3. Pavers: In road construction, pavers are essential when applying asphalt. Pavers have feeding buckets that are loaded continuously with a dump truck as the paver evenly distributes asphalt on the roadway. They provide partial compression to the asphalt, but a roller must go over the surface as well for full compaction.

 More Uses

  1. Telehandlers: Telescoping handlers are hoisting machines that can lift heavy-duty materials or equipment up to construction scaffolding and platforms. They can also raise and lower workers to different job-site levels with buckets or cabins.
  2. Feller bunchers: In logging and site clearing, feller bunchers are large-scale grips that can hold trees, make a cut, and move large branches without the trees felling. Felling trees makes for a dangerous worksite, but a feller buncher helps quickly and efficiently remove trees and free up a site for dump trucks and excavators to enter.
  3. Piling equipment: Foundation construction requires the boring or driving of piles into the earth. Pile borers can drill holes into the ground, and hydraulic drivers ram the pile into the ground to the required depth.

For any of the preceding construction equipment, you can count on us to supply you with the correct steel weld studs and other materials. Contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or you can request a quote online for more information.

 

 

Full Scope of Applications for the Stud Welding Process

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Compared to many other manufacturing operations, stud welding is a relatively young technology. The first uses of stud welding didn’t occur until after World War I in the early 1900s. Early stud welding was used in composite construction to fasten wood to steel beams in the shipbuilding industry. Today, stud welding is still used in shipbuilding, but it’s also heavily utilized across multiple industries for a vast range of applications. As a fastening system, stud welding creates powerful connections quickly without needing access to two sides of a work surface and without leaving marks on the reverse side of the weld. If you’re working with any kind of stud welding process you can find all the supplies you need with Northland Fastening Systems (NFS).

Stud Welding Supplies

NFS provides a complete supply of studs, welding tools, accessories, repair work, and the advice of our own expert technicians. The reach of the stud welding process across industries is broad, and we work with many customers to help them complete all kinds of projects.

Stud Welding Process

The full scope of stud welding as a manufacturing operation includes the following industries:

  • Automotive: For cars and other vehicles, stud welding is used to install heat shields, power steering components, electrical routing, insulation, exhaust components, instrumentation, trim, hydraulic system components, and more.
  • Infrastructure: Because the stud welding process can install shear connectors that combine steel to concrete, it can be used for large-scale infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, piping, conduits, drainage systems, and more.
  • Construction: Stud welding is often used to build multistory buildings, such as apartments, offices, municipal buildings, and even skyscrapers.
  • Agricultural equipment: Farming equipment relies on stud welding for the installation of many parts, including brackets, cabs, spreaders, threshers, fenders, hoses, shrouding, and more.
  • Appliances: Both large and small appliances are often built using the stud welding process. Commercial and residential dishwashers, refrigerators, washing machines, stoves, microwaves, ovens, and many other common appliances are built with studs.
  • Shipbuilding: Ships of all sizes are built with stud welding to this day.
  • Electronics: From hydraulic lines and transformers to terminals and enclosures, many electronics are built with studs.

More Industries

  • Industrial: Signs, cover plates, enclosures, controls, and floor indicators are some examples of industrial equipment made with stud welding.
  • Furniture: Many metal furniture items are made with studs, such as filing cabinets, shelving, racks, and desks.
  • Lawn and garden: Lawn mowers, seeders, tractors, and some other gardening and landscaping equipment are built with stud welding.
  • Power and energy: Transformers, tanks, transducers, and other energy equipment use studs as fasteners.
  • Cookware: Pots and pans, utensils, and other kitchen supplies are built with food-grade stud welding.
  • Jewelry: Pins and thin studs can be used for decorative purposes like jewelry.
  • Hardware: Tool handles, interior design hardware, brackets, and other systems can be installed with stud welding.
  • Doors: insulation doors, escutcheon plates for door knobs, and some commercial doors are installed with studs.

This is just a sampling of the many applications of stud welding. For more information about the uses of the stud welding process, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or you can request a quote online.

 

Tagging, Name Plating, Insulating, and Other Small Diameter CD Stud Welding

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Different types of stud welding operations each have its own range of applications in a broad scope of industries. Not only has drawn arc stud welding been used for shipbuilding since the early 1900s, it’s also used today for automotive production, bridge and other infrastructure construction, multi-story buildings, construction equipment, and many other manufacturing industries. CD stud welding has its own wealth of uses, from food grade equipment fabrication to the installation of insulation materials. No matter what type of stud welding you’re working with, you can find the supplies and support you need with Northland Fastening Systems (NFS).  NFS provides a comprehensive selection of studs, welding tools for rent or purchase, welding accessories, and even repair services for most welding models. Our team of expert technicians also offers guidance and support for any of your welding questions.

CD Stud Welding Operations

While many drawn arc and CD stud welding operations are used in heavy-duty to mid-size construction, there are also valuable small-scale applications that use studs and pins with diameters under ¼” wide.

Uses of CD Stud Welding

Some of the most prevalently used small-scale CD welding solutions include insulation, name plates, and other labeling systems.

  • Insulation pins: NFS offers 1″-long, 10-gauge diameter standard CD insulation weld pins made from mild steel. These pins are highly useful in quickly and effectively attaching insulation in a broad range of construction scenarios. Insulation for pipes, building interiors, HVAC ducts, industrial equipment, incinerators, and many other locations can be installed using CD welded insulation pins.
  • Name plate studs: Another CD welding application is the installation of name plates with breakaway studs. These studs are tipped with small domed pins that break away from the part inserted into the weld gun. Name plates on equipment that show models, serial numbers, and many other specifications are almost exclusively installed with these welding studs. They are also used in installing small signs and even for decorative purposes.
  • Tag welding: Not to be confused with TAG (Tungsten Active Gas) welding, tag welding is an effective labeling system for steel part inventories. Tags can be quickly installed on a bare steel part, such as beams, rebar, and billets, with a connecting CD stud. Tagging materials with CD studs can easily provide clear labels that won’t get lost or break off. The installation process takes seconds and is a cost-effective organization solution.

Summary

These three types of small-diameter CD stud welding are key to many production and construction operations. They offer a strong fastening system with quick, reliable operations. For more information about welding pins and studs, or any other supplies we stock, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770. You can also request a quote online to get started with us today.

History of Sheet Metal and Arc Stud Welding

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While general welding dates back to the Bronze Age, the history of stud welding is much more recent. The first stud welding operations were developed in the early 1900s in the shipbuilding industry. Those early operations were rudimentary compared to the capabilities of stud welding today. Modern stud welding can be done manually on a jobsite or in an automated capacity in the manufacturing facility. Either way a weld is performed, when done correctly, it will generate a connection point that is clean and stronger than both the stud and surface material. Stud welding is used across industries from the automotive sector to food service supplies. Whatever kind of project you’re working on, you can find all the stud welding supplies you need with Northland Fastening Systems (NFS). NFS has a complete supply of materials for capacitor discharge (CD), short cycle, and drawn arc stud welding, including studs, tools, accessories, and even repairs.

ARC Stud Welding

One of the main reasons why arc stud welding and other stud welding operations are used so prevalently across industries is because of their compatibility with sheet metal and the fasteners used to build with those materials.

Arc Stud Welding Uses

Sheet metal has its own large range of specifications, such as thickness, material type, manufacturing technique, and surface treatments. Even with this range, however, stud welding is often a useful operation for attaching sheeting to other structures, fixing studs and other fasteners to sheeting surfaces, and thru-deck welding to connect sheeting to steel beams.

Uses for Sheet Metal

Humans have used sheets of metal for centuries. The oldest metal sheets were hand-hammered and used for both decorative and functional purposes. The first idea for a rolling mill is credited to Leonardo da Vinci from a sketch drawn c. 1485, but the first recorded accounts of water-powered sheet-rolling mills didn’t occur until the early 1500s. Check out the following timeline:

  1. 1485: Leonardo da Vinci makes several sketches detailing his idea for a rolling mill.
  2. Early 1500s: Some records show two rolling mill designs that were used to make gold sheeting for coins.
  3. 1600s: The use of a puddling technique for sheet metal was used. This method is somewhat effective, but often loses over half of the iron content into the sand bed while the metal is molten. The puddling method was used to make metal sheets that are part of the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.
  4. Late 1600s: The first tests of rolling iron to make tinplate occurred around 1670. Ironmaster Major John Hanbury built rolling mills for tinplate and black plate.
  5. Late 1700s and the Industrial Revolution: The beginning of modern sheet metal manufacturing began during the industrial revolution. The first iron casting techniques were developed in the early 1700s. By the time of the industrial revolution at the end of the 18th century, rolling and casting sheet metal processes began to be perfected.

Summary

Today, many applications of arc stud welding and sheet metal are used across the manufacturing world. To learn more about the stud welding supplies we provide, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.

 

 

 

Our Market Today for Industrial and Construction Welding

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Northland Fastening Systems started in 1987 with the goal of bringing stud welding into the future and committing to excellence in service and products. Over the past 30 years, we’ve seen many changes in the stud welding industry, from new products and technologies to differences in the market itself. Today, stud welding is used across industries, including the construction of buildings and infrastructure, installing insulation, building electronics, and much more. In many ways, stud welding is a superior fastening system. Stud welding quickly provides a powerful, clean connection point, requires access to only one side of a work surface, is leak and corrosion resistant, and is cost-effective. For any manufacturers and contractors working with stud welding, Northland Fastening Systems has the supplies and services needed to get the job done. We provide a comprehensive supply of studs, accessories, tools, and other support for industrial and construction welding.

Construction Welding

In our past 30 plus years of operation, the biggest market change we’ve seen is the shift in demand for construction vs. industrial stud welding supplies. In the early days of NFS, many parts of the Twin Cities were still being built to become the metropolises they are today. The greatest demand for supplies came from the construction welding industry.

Now that metro area growth has slowed, a large increase in industrial demand has grown, shifting the majority of our market supply from construction to industrial.

80% Industrial

Today, about 80% of our business is with the industrial market. This includes customers manufacturing parts and assemblies of all kinds. We supply to the automotive, electronics, food service, sheet metal, agricultural equipment, robotics, and even furniture industries. The largest use of industrial stud welding supplies includes electrical enclosures and enclosures in general, commercial and industrial food service equipment, and the fabrication of multiple parts with sheet metal. Factory equipment is also largely built with studs and other types of industrial welding systems.

20% Construction

While demand for construction welding supplies has decreased, the construction market still makes up about 20% of our business. Many different types of multi-story buildings and other structures are built with stud welding. The use of shear connectors in composite construction is critical for bridges and other infrastructure, and thru-deck welding is a prevalent operation in modern building. In addition to thru-deck welding and shear connectors that fasten concrete to steel beams, bar anchors are also used in composite construction, and CD studs are key in the installation of insulation for most building types.

Stud welding continues to be one of the most versatile and reliable fastening systems today for both the industrial and construction markets. For more information about our supplies for industrial and construction welding, contact Northland Fastening Systems today at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.

Aluminum Alloys Used for CD Weld Studs

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Capacitor discharge (CD) stud welding has a broad range of applications from the installation of insulation with CD pins to the construction of electrical cabinets with larger diameter CD studs. CD stud welding and other types of stud welding are valued for the powerful connections they form; the quickness of each operation; and the clean, mark-free backside of welding surfaces. With power from a standard electrical outlet, an experienced welding technician can perform up to 20 CD welds per minute. When done correctly, those welds are more aesthetically pleasing than any other fastening system, and they are often stronger and longer lasting. For any diameter, material, or other specifications you need for CD weld studs, you can find what you’re looking for at Northland Fastening Systems (NFS). We provide a complete supply of CD studs, including pins and flanged or non-flanged studs with various lengths and thread sizes. Our CD studs are available in aluminum, mild steel, stainless steel, and brass with plating and annealing options.

 CD Weld Studs

When it comes to aluminum CD weld studs, we offer several alloy specifications that provide a flexible range of properties as well as custom stud options. Our main aluminum alloy studs include: 

●     1100 Series: Alloys in this series are commercially pure, containing a minimum of 99% aluminum. This makes these alloys also some of the most mechanically durable. 1100 alloys are highly conductive thermally and electrically, resistant to corrosion, and workable to form many parts. Other than aluminum, these alloys can contain 0.05-0.20% copper, 0.95% iron, 0.05% manganese, 0.95% silicon, and 0.1% zinc with additional residual materials up to 0.15%.  

●     5000 Series: This series of aluminum is typically alloyed with small percentages of manganese, copper, magnesium, chromium, zinc, iron, silicon, and zirconium. Aluminum content can range from around 94% to around 99%. Many of these alloys are considered universal for a broad range of applications, but several are specific to welding.  

●     6061 Material: In the 6000s series of aluminum alloys, 6061 is a precipitation-hardened material with magnesium and silicon as main alloying elements. The material has good weldability and contains about 96-98.5% aluminum with 0.80-1.2% magnesium and 0.40-0.80% silicon. The 6061 alloys have high tensile strength and mechanical properties.  

For all of our studs, including CD studs, special sizes are available by request. We have studs regularly available ¼“–2½“ long, and stud diameters [BL1] [JP2] [JP3] 2”-56“ and ⅜“-16“. Flange diameters are available between 0.125“ and 0.437“. If you are looking for aluminum CD studs or any studs in the additional materials we offer, you can request a quote online to get started with us today.

 For any other information about our CD weld studs or other supplies, repairs, and services, contact NFS today at (651) 730-7770.

 

Strength of Complete Fusion in the Stud Welding Process

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Since its invention in the early 1900s, stud welding has proven to be an exceptionally useful tool for a wide range of industries. From construction to electronics, stud welding offers a fastening system that connects metals with strong, rapid, and clean operations. When applied correctly, stud welded connections are stronger than the stud and base material put together. In fact, one of the quickest ways to test the accuracy of a weld is by seeing if the stud will fail in a bend test before the connection point fails. If you are working with stud welding, you know the benefits it provides to many manufacturing processes. Stud welding is quick, cost-effective, and powerful. At Northland Fastening Systems (NFS), we provide a complete range of supplies for the drawn arc, capacitor discharge (CD), and short cycle stud welding process. This includes studs for each type of welding, tools for rent and purchase, welding accessories, and even repairs for most welding equipment.

Stud Welding Process

One of the reasons why the stud welding process is advantageous for so many industries is because of the strength a full fusion weld point provides. Stud welding operations completely fuse stud materials to surface materials. This fusion can be done with a variety of metals, including steel, aluminum, and even copper.

What Is Complete Fusion?

Complete fusion requires both metals to reach melting temperatures. Molten metals will fuse together at the weld point and create a complete connection between parts. All layers of stud and surface material should be molten in order to create complete fusion. Because of this requirement for deep penetration, stud lengths will shorten a specified amount when installed, depending on material and weld types.

A homogenous weld point that is completely fused will be clean with no spatter or puddles. Complete fusion eliminates the risk of a cold or porous weld that will likely fail. Any incorrect applications that have incomplete fusion can be revealed with testing. Incomplete fusion issues can be prevented by accurately calibrating welding equipment, using the right power, and performing a weld in the correct duration and positioning. With drawn arc welding, ceramic ferrules and shielding gas also help technicians achieve complete fusion in the welds.

Summary

For complete fusion through paint, annealing, and other surface treatments, technicians should adjust accordingly and use grounding clamps on the job site. In facilities where automated stud welding systems are integrated into a production line, complete fusion results are often built into the equipment. Automation parameters for complete fusion can be adjusted when stud dimensions, materials, and other specifications are changed.

If you are working with any kind of stud welding process in any industry, and are looking for supplies, equipment, and more, we can help. Contact NFS at (651) 730-7770. You can also request a quote online to get started with us today.

Power Supply Classifications for the Stud Welding Process

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Welding with an electrically generated arcing current was first developed in the late 1800s by several British, Russian, and American inventors. In 1887, Russian inventor Nikolay Benardos presented the first arc welding system with a carbon electrode. The same year, another inventor, French Auguste de Méritens, also developed a carbon arc welder. Over the next 130 years, new technologies for welding would be invented and developed to the advanced state-of-the-art systems they are today. Modern metal welding hosts an umbrella of operations from gas metal arc welding (GMAW) to electron beam welding (EBW). Stud welding is also a commonplace welding operation that is used across industries. If you are working with a drawn arc, capacitor discharge (CD), or short cycle stud welding process, you can find all the supplies you need at Northland Fastening Systems (NFS). NFS provides a complete selection of welding equipment, including tools for rent or purchase, welding studs, accessories, and even repairs for most models.

Stud Welding Process

Stud welding machines can utilize either AC or DC power supplies depending on the welding application and the facilities. The power source for any stud welding process can be one of three general designs: transformers, generators, or inverters.

Transformers:

Using electricity from main utilities, transformers convert moderate electrical currents and voltage into high current and low voltage. Generally that conversion takes 110–240 V supplies to around 17-45 V with anywhere between 55 and 590 amp. Transformers are less costly than other power supplies, but they can only be used within a facility because of their large size.

Generators:

For job-site welding with portable welders, a generator is often the best choice for power conversion. These designs convert mechanical energy into electrical energy with an electric or internal combustion motor. Generators are also called alternators because they convert that energy from mechanical to electrical to reach the same voltage step-down that transformers provide.

Inverters In the Stud Welding Process

Inverters are a newer power source for welding units because they use high-power semiconductors that have only recently been adapted into wider technologies. These systems take main utility AC and change it to DC, then they invert that DC power to step-down the voltage and change the current to the calibrated weld requirements. The most significant feature of inverters is that they can be adjusted with software systems thanks to their use of semiconductor chips.

Within these categories of transformers, generators, and inverters, there are many variations that can be used as power supplies for stud welding. Each type of stud welding and welding overall will require different calibrations of voltage and current that can be achieved with these power supply designs.

If you are in need of any supplies for your stud welding process, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770. You can also request a quote online to get started with us today.

Our Favorite Automated Production Welding Equipment

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Manually operated stud welding tools are practical and convenient for many applications across industries. Portable welding equipment that can be quickly set up on job sites are key for many operations in the construction industry, such as thru-deck stud welding, composite construction, and sheet metal fabrication. While handheld stud welding tools have many uses, automated production welders also have an important part in the manufacturing world. Automated equipment may have a limited flexibility in terms of different operations it can perform, but for the stud installments it can do, it beats handheld tools in speed and consistency. Some automated systems can even weld upward of 40 studs a minute. While a weld done with a handheld gun usually takes less than 1 second to connect, the time spent in reloading the gun and positioning a new stud means manual welding is much slower than automated welding. For either type of stud welding, you can find everything you need at Northland Fastening Systems (NFS). We provide a complete supply of studs, accessories, tools, and other welding equipment. We also offer repair services for most welding models.

Welding Equipment

Automated welding equipment typically is installed in a facility where it becomes part of a complete production line. Production welders perform hundreds to thousands of rapid stud installments with precision over extended periods of time. Because they get such heavy use, production welders are durable and intelligent. Our automated tools are computer numerical control (CNC) machines with programmable software direction systems.

Favorite automated production welders

CPW 0604: The CPW 0604 performs capacitor discharge (CD), drawn arc, and short cycle welding operations. It can work in a welding range of 600 x 400 x 120 mm and can install studs with diameters of 3-8 mm. With a 9″ touchscreen display, it’s easy to calibrate and adjust the high performance PLC IEC 61131-3 controller. This model can weld up to 30 studs per minute and has an axis movement speed of 25 m per minute along the X and Y axes and 20 m per minute on the Z axis. The single welding head is automatically fed with up to three different stud lengths at a time. The software is user friendly and multilingual, and the unit is compact for such a high-production machine.

PC-S: The PC-S is another great production welder for all types of stud welding operations. It can be manually fed to a single welding tip or automatically fed for a 30% faster load rate. The working plate is 500 x 375 mm. This machine is especially precise with a positioning tolerance of ± 0.2 mm. Stud diameter capabilities are 3-8 mm and 10-12.7 mm. The PC-S is an advanced welder with a microprocessor controller. It’s a reliable option for any facility that works with high precision production.

Summary

For more information about these tools and our other stud welding equipment, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.

Freight Shipping Statistics Made Possible with Steel Weld Studs

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Since the first usage of stud welding in the early 1900s for the shipbuilding of freight, naval, and other large vessels, stud welding operations have become a mainstay for the maritime industry. Over the next 120 years, stud welding grew to be used in a broad range of industries in addition to shipbuilding, including the construction, electrical, and food equipment industries. While stud welding is widespread across the industrial world today, it continues to be a key operation for the maritime and, by extension, freight shipping industries. Because it is such a heavily used manufacturing operation for freighters, stud welding and steel weld studs in particular make container shipping possible and allow a trading economic system to exist on a global level. For any stud welding projects, Northland Fastening Systems supplies welding units for rent or purchase, CD and drawn arc studs, welding accessories, and more.

The Impact of Steel Weld Studs on the Shipping Industry

As we’ve said, freighters and other shipping vessels could not be made as efficiently and safely without the use of stud welding. The steel weld studs used to construct these vessels are what make container shipping a significant part of the global economy.

Container Shipping

Let’s look at some basic statistics from the container shipping industry made possible with stud welding (published as of 2022):

  • 80% of all products traded worldwide are shipped by sea.
  • In 2020, around 1.85 billion metric tons of goods were shipped around the world by freight.
  • In the past 40 years, cargo ship tonnages have increased in capacity from about 11 million metric tons to around 275 million metric tons.
  • Around 54,700 merchant ships operate globally.
  • Some of those types of merchant vessels include general cargo, crude oil tankers, chemical tankers, container ships, and passenger ships.
  • Shanghai handled 47 million tons of cargo in 2020, making it the leading global port for container shipping.
  • New general cargo ship designs may produce 40% less CO2 emissions by 2040.
  • The first standardized intermodal freight containers were developed in the 1950s.
  • The first refrigerated freighters were introduced in the 1970s.
  • The world’s largest cargo ship, the Ever Ace, measures 1,300 feet and has a holding capacity of 23,992 standard freight containers.

Steel Weld Studs to Meet the Needs of Today and Tomorrow

Modern freight shipping has reached massive proportions to meet the demands of a growing population and an increasingly capitalistic economy. Despite the futuristic systems and designs of today’s freighters, they still all rely on the use of stud welding and steel weld studs for construction.

Summary

To learn more about the abilities and uses of stud welding, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770. Request a quote online to get started with our team today.