Category: Stud Welding

Stud welding operations are streamlined, quick processes that allow technicians to install a broad range of stud types in many applications with powerful connections and clean finishes. Even handheld welding guns and lightweight or portable units can increase production speed and improve results. However, with an automated stud welding process installed in your production line, you can greatly increase the speed and quality of your welding operations while eliminating unnecessary costs and material waste. At Northland Fastening Systems, we offer a complete range of supplies for any stud welding process, automated or not. We provide a large collection of studs in varying dimensions and materials, welding tools for rent or purchase, welding accessories, and the expertise of our own technicians for advice or tool services.

 

If your production schedules have expanded to the point of considering integrating an automated stud welding process into your facilities, there are a few things to consider to determine if a fully automated system is the right choice.

 

• Production: The main thing to consider before automating is if your production output and operation types fit an automated rate and facility set up. When automating the stud welding process, you will also have to increase assembly speeds. Consider the bottle necks for assembly in your facility and workers. Analyze your current production cycle time and determine where parts of the assembly process that won’t be automated can be sped up.

 

• Safety: Worker safety should always be considered before making changes to your facility. When installing an automated system into existing facilities, the effects of that integration should be diagnosed before moving forward. Consider ergonomics, torque, tool weight, operator fatigue, and more. Make sure everything fits together correctly, and provide extensive training and safety procedurals to workers whenever new equipment is introduced.

 

• Quality: Finally, you need to ensure that installing an automated system for your stud welding process won’t compromise quality in any way. If an automated system will change products in any way, the assembly process must be altered to fit those changes. Stud installation should be done with perfect accuracy if your automated system is properly functioning. Collect data before and after installing an automated system and compare to see improvements, or lack thereof, in quality.

 

Working with highly rated, expert providers like Northland Fastening System will help you find the right automation options and install new equipment successfully. We offer user-friendly, effective automation options for drawn arc, CD, and short cycle welding. To learn more about our automated equipment for the stud welding process, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770. Request a quote online to get started with us today.

All manufacturing industries follow a set of international standards outlined through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in addition to various requirements and certifications unique within any given industry. Overall, there are more than 18,500 ISO standards and around 1,000 new published annually. Despite the vast number of ISO certifications, some industries are relatively specific enough to only require a few ISOs to follow the continually updated editions.

 

When it comes to stud welding, ISO 13918 standards cover the majority of common arc procedures including drawn arc, CD, and short cycle stud welding. For all these types of the stud welding process, Northland Fastening Systems provides a comprehensive range of supplies meeting ISO 13918 standards. Our supplies for the stud welding process include welding studs in various dimensions with custom options available, welding tools for rent or purchase, stud welding accessories, and the expertise of our own staff of stud welding technicians.

 

One current standard for the stud welding industry is ISO 13918:2017. In addition to stud welding, this ISO can be generally applied in most metal working fields, but those working with the stud welding process will find the specifics most useful to their production floor.

 

ISO 13918:2008 covers requirements for arc welding studs, dimensions, materials, and mechanics, including:

 

• unthreaded studs
• partially-threaded studs
• fully-threaded studs
• virtually fully-threaded studs
• flanged and threaded studs
• threaded and reduced shaft studs
• internally-threaded studs
• insulation fasteners
• shear connectors
• welding pins
• the use of ceramic ferrules

 

The standards and mechanical guidelines that ISO 13918 provides offer in-depth information that not only helps welders improve the stud welding process and fabricate better quality products, but also helps manufacturers better understand the application of stud welding in their own industries and play a role in supporting the continued growth of universal standards.

 

As a supplier for hardware and tools used in a range of stud welding processes, we follow our own set of ISO standards at Northland Fastening Systems. We are ISO 9001:2015 certified as an industrial supplier. While ISO 9001 is a relatively generic set of standards, following those requirements helps us maintain best practices and support our customers with quality products and advice. By following ISO 9001 standards, we continue to show our capabilities in providing the stud welding industry with necessary products that meet regulations, and we work as a customer-focused company that aims to improve consumer satisfaction while adhering to internationally-accepted requirements. NFS uses the regulations that ISO 9001 provides as a quality management system to continue offering our customers the best products and services for drawn arc, CD, and short cycle welding.

 

To learn more about the products we provide for the stud welding process and ISO certifications, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770. Request a quote online to get started with us today.

Stud welding is used so prolifically across widely different industries that it often pops up in unexpected applications. Not only is stud welding used extensively in the automotive and construction industries, it’s also effective in building food-grade equipment, electrical enclosures, and even insulation and roofing. No matter how you are utilizing stud welding, you can find the supplies you need at Northland Fastening Systems (NFS). We provide a comprehensive range of welding studs for drawn arc, CD, and short cycle welding with additional options for custom dimensions. NFS also offers welding tools for rent or purchase and stud welding accessories. Our team of expert technicians has the training and skills to help you get whatever tools you need to complete your stud welding process.

 

Stud welding is a key operation for composite construction, including in building insulation and roofing. When it comes to welding insulation fasteners and roofing components, it’s important to select the right type of stainless steel for the stud welding process you’re working with.

 

All materials used in welding insulation fasteners must meet the standard guidelines of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the American Welding Society (AWS). Within these standards, stainless steel grades typically approved are 300s in non-magnetic states with basic annealing. This includes 302, 304, 305, 309, 310, and 316. While 304 (also listed as 18/8) and 305 are the most commonly used in typical insulation fastening and roofing component welding, other stainless steel grades in the 300s are beneficial in their own way for certain applications.

 

Steels in the L series, like 316L, are often the most effective choices when resistance to corrosion is critical. In high heat applications, SS series like 320SS and 330SS are most effective, but for extreme temperatures and refractory applications, super alloys like Inconel 601 are more effective than stainless steels. Stainless steel temperature ranges for the insulation fastener stud welding process vary between 1,400ºF and 2,000ºF, while Inconel is used in applications around 2,200ºF. Steel grades 302, 304, and 305 are best at 1,400ºF applications, and 316 is best at 1,700ºF, 310 is best at 1,850ºF, and 330 is best at 2,000ºF.

 

No matter what insulation fastener and roof component stud welding process you’re utilizing, choosing the right stainless steel or other material is a requirement. Plan ahead your production schedule with attainability and lead time of acquiring different steels in mind. While many steel types are easy to source, some need to be special ordered with longer lead times.

 

To learn more about choosing the right type of metals for your specific stud welding process and the products we have available, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770. You can request a quote online to get started with us today.

Welding is one of the older manufacturing operations still used extensively throughout industries today, with the first types of forge welding dating back to the Bronze and Iron Ages in the Middle East and Europe. Today’s modern welding techniques vary greatly in their processes and results. Stud welding, for example, is a much different process than resistance welding, but each type of welding has its place in the manufacturing world.

 

When it comes to stud welding, industries from shipbuilding to food-grade equipment fabrication all value its benefits and capabilities. Not only does stud welding create a connection point stronger that the stud itself, it’s also a rapid fastening system with clean results.

 

No matter what industry you work in, you can count on Northland Fastening Systems to provide a complete supply of tools, studs, accessories, and everything else you might need for the stud welding process.

 

While stud welding is sometimes confused for spot welding, they are two very different operations. Spot welding actually falls into the category of resistance welding or resistance spot welding (RSW), whereas stud welding is an arc welding operation.

 

Spot Welding

Resistance spot welding uses heat to join metals together. That heat is generated by resistance to electrical current. The heat brings the two pieces of metal being joined together to a range where they can be connected with high-pressure systems. The metals technically never melt to a molten state during a spot-welding process. Because of this, spot welding is more like a forging process. The metals do not intermix in the same way they do during a stud welding operation. Spot welding has limited uses because it works well with few materials. Primarily, spot welding is used with low-carbon steel, but it can be used to form brittle connections with high-carbon steel and aluminum alloys.

 

Stud Welding

Stud welding uses a drawn arc or capacitor discharge (CD) arc to generate heat at the connection point. The metals used are heated to a molten state and the metal molecules fuse together to form a strong connection. Whether you’re working with drawn arc, CD, or short cycle stud welding, the high heat involved can be used to weld on a much broader range of surfaces than spot welding. Stud welding also doesn’t require the high-pressure equipment that spot welding does and can be used even when access to the reverse side of the base material cannot be accessed.

 

Overall, the stud welding process is a more flexible, efficient, and powerful choice for many production floors. To learn more about the capabilities of stud welding, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770, or request a quote online to get started with us today.

As with any manufacturing operation used to build assemblies that will face daily functioning stress, the long-term effects of resonance and ballistics on stud welded connections must be taken into account. Stud welding is a highly versatile and widely used operation for a range of industries. Not only is it key in standard shipbuilding and the construction of most large-scale structures, it’s also relied upon for food-grade welding and electrical enclosures.

 

Those working with stud welding operations can count on Northland Fastening Systems for all their stud welding supplies. We provide stud welding tools for rent or purchase, studs in a comprehensive range of dimensions with custom sizing available, stud welding accessories, and the expertise of our own stud welding technicians.

 

When taking into account the effects that resonance and ballistics have on stud welding applications, how those effects manifest and to what degree they will impact a secure connection point depends on the industry and how stud welding was utilized. The following industries will see effects of resonance and ballistics on stud welding in various different ways.

 

Automotive: Stud welding is used in the fabrication of multiple automotive parts and in the full assembly of those parts. Cars, trucks, and other vehicles all face different sources of resonance and ballistics. This includes the basic resonance of road friction, operational harmonics of the engine and assemblies, braking, shifting gears, and the general vehicle operations. Other sources of resonance include weather and road conditions. Ballistic impacts on a vehicle can come from an accident and objects flying from other vehicles or kicking up from the road.

 

Structures: Stud welding is a critical tool for the composite construction used in many different structures, from bridges to multi-story buildings. These structures face significant resonance from weather impacts that can range from standard calm weather to severe storms. In addition, bridges are under constant resonance from traffic and the ballistics of flying objects. Other large structures built with stud welding that undergo weather-related resonance are water towers, cell towers, windmills, and more.

 

Ships: Shipbuilding was the original fabrication industry to utilize stud welding as an essential manufacturing operation. Today, stud welding is still a primary tool in the shipbuilding process for a wide variety of types of ships and boats. From small motor boats to cargo freighters, every water vessel faces different types of resonance. All undergo resonance from the water friction and currents, as well as ballistics from objects underwater. Large ships also face significant resonance from engines, passenger motion, and the shifting of cargo. In fact, some shipwrecks, like the wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald, have been attributed to resonance and shifting cargo causing serious imbalances in the ship and the security of the welding.

 

To learn more about the effects of resonance and ballistics on stud welding strength and the supplies we provide, contact NFS at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.

If you’re using stud welding as one of your key production operations, you’re one of thousands of manufacturers with a powerful tool that is both efficient and cost effective. Stud welding is a highly utilized fastening system that developed out of its use in shipbuilding to be part of fabrication settings in many industries, from food grade to the construction of bridges and other large-scale structures. At Northland Fastening Systems (NFS), you can find everything you need for successful stud welding processes, including tools for rent or purchase, studs in a comprehensive range of dimensions, accessories, and our own technicians’ expertise. Whether you’re working with drawn arc, capacitor discharge, or short cycle stud welding, we have the supplies that will help you get the job done.

While many operators are able to work in indoors or in otherwise enclosed conditions, making the questions of weather and other elements irrelevant, many other stud welders work at outdoor sites with exposure to wind, rain, and temperature fluctuations. These worksite elements are factors that must be taken into consideration before attempting to use stud welding as an effective fastening system. Specifically, moisture and temperature are the elements that most directly affect the quality of a weld, no matter what metals or welding operations are being used.

Moisture: The stud welding process is most directly affected by moisture. Rain, snow, and even humidity can, at the least, damage the quality of a connection point, and at the most, compromise worker safety. If the worksite is exposed to heavy precipitation of any kind without cover, workers should never attempt to weld. With very light precipitation or some cover, welding technicians can perform successful welds safely, but even slight moisture can change the chemical makeup of the weld. The relative moisture and dew point must be measured and compared to the requirement of the specific metal being welded together. Metals like aluminum need very dry conditions for successful welds, and all surfaces must be properly cleaned and otherwise prepped for a weld. Both relative moisture and dew points can change with temperature variations in the worksite.

Temperature: Because temperature changes can impact the moisture and dew point, it’s important to monitor the air, the electrode, and the metal temperatures during the stud welding process. In addition to affecting the moisture, certain temperatures are too low or too high to allow for a successful connection point. Generally speaking, the temperature of the weld surface should not be lower than 0ºF to perform a successful weld.

No matter what the moisture or temperature of the worksite and the weld surface is when in a suitable range, the surface should always be properly prepped and the welding tool should be correctly calibrated. All of these factors will determine the quality of the weld and the standards of worker safety.

To learn more about stud welding, contact Northland Fastening Systems at (651) 730-7770 or request a quote online.