Calculation of welding point dimensions during electrical contact welding of a metal tape

   Abrasive wear causes widespread failure of agricultural machinery parts and assemblies. Electrical contact welding (ECW) of metal tapes is a common method for restoring and reinforcing these parts with functional coatings. The properties and quality of the resulting coatings are influenced by both regulated (welding current, speed, and feed rate) and unregulated ECW parameters, as well as the size of a single welding site (SWS).

   This study aims to develop calculation formulas for determining the SWS dimensions and the filler material upset during ECW of a metal tape.

   The authors have established that the elliptical SWS dimensions depend on compression force, the diameter of the restored surface, electrode width and diameter, and physical and mechanical properties of the mounting material (hardness, Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio). While material properties like elasticity and strength are inherent, SWS size can be adjusted by manipulating compression force and/or electrode dimensions. However, altering the compression force affects contact characteristics of the surfaces in the joint area, electrical resistance, and the degree of plastic deformation, which ultimately influences coating quality. Through theoretical research using physical and mathematical models, the authors have derived a mathematical model for calculating SWS geometric parameters for ECW. Calculations based on these dependencies confirmed previous findings: achieving the recommended 30 % plastic deformation (upset) of filler material for a 40 mm diameter part requires an electrode width of 6.3 to 9 mm, while a diameter of 80 mm requires 4.6 to 6.4 mm. The use of these SWS calculation formulas will improve the quality and efficiency of electrical contact welding.

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