Buyer’s Guide to Choosing the Right Welding Equipment

Whether you’re an experienced stud welder or just getting into the different types of stud welding that are each highly useful in its own way, selecting the right welding equipment can be difficult. Each welding unit and welding gun has its own set of exacting specifications, including power requirements, calibration ranges, material requirements, and much more. At Northland Fastening Systems (NFS), we offer a comprehensive range of stud welding equipment and other stud welding supplies, including tools for rent and purchase, studs in a broad range of dimensions, custom stud options available, and stud welding accessories. In addition to our extensive collection of stud welding supplies, our welding technicians offer their own expertise in the industry. Our team of knowledgeable stud welding technicians work with customers to help them select the right welding equipment so they can get the job done efficiently.

 

Choosing the right stud welding equipment can be difficult because there are many factors to take into account. The most important considerations before choosing a stud welding unit or gun include the following:

 

  1. Power source: Knowing your power source before selecting any welding equipment is key. Not only is it important to know whether your power source will be capable of providing enough welding power, some stud welding equipment requires a transformer or inverter, while others will need a capacitor discharge source.

 

  1. Arc generation: Drawn arc, capacitor discharge, and short cycle welding all use a different type of arc. Because of this, you need to understand how your welding arc will be generated and determine if your energy source will be capable of providing the necessary direct current.

 

  1. Weld time: For any production job, one goal is to limit downtime and work with the greatest efficiency possible. Many stud welders will use rapid welding operations to their advantage and build a schedule around how many welds per minute are possible. Not only do welds per minute vary between types of stud welding operations, they also vary between machines. Knowing the weld times you’ll need to meet production schedule requirements is a significant factor that will guide your selection.

 

  1. Weld abilities: Finally, one of the most important factors to consider when choosing welding equipment is what abilities that equipment has. Do you need a tool to perform CD welding or drawn arc welding? Are you working with steel or aluminum? What kind of surfaces are you welding on? What size studs will you be working with? All of these questions determine the capabilities of your welding equipment and should guide your decision when selecting which tool to work with.

 

To learn more about welding equipment specifications and which tool is right for you, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online today.