Resistance spot welding is a cost effective way to join two or more overlapping pieces of metal together. In addition, spot welding is a huge time savor compared to TIG or MIG welding. Many engineers come to VIP for advice to save time and money on sheet metal assemblies that require welding. One great method that we regularly recommend (depending on the assembly and function of the parts) spot welding as an alternative. Below shows a comparison between spot welding and welding (TIG or MIG).

As you can see there are many pros to using spot welding as an alternative to MIG or TIG welding. Spot welding is great for brackets, cabinets, and other sheet metal assemblies that have overlapping metal pieces. However, if there is a sheet metal assembly that needs to be robust, we do not suggest using spot welding since spot welding is not used for strength and durability. To help better understand the nature of resistance spot welding, here is a diagram that illustrates how it works:

Spot Welding works by holding sheets of metal together with two copper alloy electrodes. An electric current from the copper alloy electrodes flow through the metal being welded. Resistance to the electrical flow heats the metal to welding temperature. Spot welding is well-suited to automatic welding.

To get an inside look, view the video below which illustrates what spot welding equipment looks like and how it works:

If you have parts and assemblies that may require spot welding, please contact us today for a quote. Vista Industrial Products, Inc. has a large variety of metal fabrication equipment to cater any job big or small. Thanks for tuning in this week, and be sure to visit VIPSheetMetal.com/blog for more metal fabrication news and information! Have a great weekend!