Published on August 7th, 2020 | by Bibhuranjan

An ultimate guide on seam welding

Seam welding is one of the several techniques which are used to weld metals. In this technique, electrodes, in the presence of current, are driven through the motor. Unlike several other techniques, where the electrodes are stationary rods, in seam welding, they are in the form of a disc and aren’t stationary.

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Principle Used In Seam Welding

Time, pressure, and electric currents are used in order to weld metals. This is the basic principle used in seam welding. It is quite similar to the one used in another technique known as resistance spot welding.

Two electrodes are used for the process. Both of them are made of copper and are in a circular form, like discs. The material is placed between the two electrodes. High pressure is applied to one of the electrodes, an impulse current is passed through the other. Two electrodes made from copper & in the circular form are used. An impulse current is applied through one of the discs & pressure through the other on the materials that are being joined.

Different types of welds like spot welds and continuous welds can be created by using seam welding in various ways.

The Two Types Of Seam Welding

Continuous Motion Seam Welding

The two electrodes are rotated at a predetermined speed and current impulses are also timed. It leads to the formation of overlapping welds.

Intermittent Motion Seam Welding

Unlike the previous method, there is no predetermined speed nor are the impulses currents timed. Instead, the workpieces are allowed to automatically move between welding positions. This technique is more suitable to weld thicker metals.

Different Forms of Seam Welding

Standard Seam

A series of weld nuggets overlapping each other are formed when the workpieces are rotated along with both the electrodes. Current impulses are also continuously fired. A leak-tight and continuous joint can be formed by following this form of seam welding.

Mash Seam

A solid-state joint can be formed using this kind of seam welding. Current is applied to the small overlapping sheets after they have been mashed together which is responsible for forming the joint. The thickness of the welded sheet is almost 150% that of the original sheets.

Roll spot Welding

Using roll spot welding, spot welds can be formed however the joint formed is not a leak-tight joint. When the wheels are traveling across the workpieces, a current pulses through them to result in the formation of a spot weld.

Equipment Required For Seam Welding

· A transformer to act as a source for the AC power supply

· Sliding contact

· Workpieces that are welding metal sheets.

· Two welding electrodes which are in the disc form and made out of copper

Benefits of using Seam Welding

Some of the best benefits of using this welding technique are as follows:

· It ensures efficient energy utilization

· No need for any sort of filler material

· The welding process is much quicker than other techniques

· It is the best technique to create gas and liquid tight objects

· There is almost no pollutant as the filler material is not used so no fumes are created

· A high pressure is applied while welding which ensures that the weld is a durable one

· Since the joint is forged due to heat & pressure, a durable weld is formed in seam welding.

· The apparatus is pretty easy to operate

Disadvantages of the Seam Welding Technique

· Despite the numerous advantages, there are some drawbacks to using this welding technique:

· The electrodes might require cleaning after a single revolution

· A mechanized cleaning system is essential to ensure that there are no contaminants

· A huge amount of current is required to weld

· An additional motor is required as the electrodes are motor-driven

· To ensure that there is no overflow of melted metal, all workpieces need to be overlapped

· Travel speed of electrodes needs to be controlled properly else the efficiency of the welding would decrease

Seam welding is an important welding technique. It has many crucial applications as it is used in the assembly of fuel tanks of vehicles. It is also used to create pipes and tubing along with many other things.

Tags: seam welding, welding

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.