METHOD OF RESISTANCE SPOT WELDING ALUMINUM ALLOY WORKPIECES

摘要

A method of resistance spot welding aluminum alloy workpieces together is disclosed that involves periodically texturing and dressing of at least one of the two electrode weld faces. The texturing and dressing steps help preserve the ability of the welding electrode to deliver electrical current through the overlapping aluminum alloy workpieces being welding despite the presence of one or more oxide layers on the surfaces of the workpieces and, as such, are effective in prolonging the useful life of the electrode(s).

主权项

1. A method of maintaining a welding electrode during its use in resistance spot welding aluminum alloy workpieces together, the method comprising:
texturing a weld face of the welding electrode to provide the weld face with a surface roughness; performing resistance spot welding with the welding electrode to form a first number of resistance spot welds between overlapping aluminum alloy workpieces; texturing the weld face again to provide the weld face with a surface roughness after the first number of individual resistance spot welds are performed; performing resistance spot welding with the welding electrode to form a second number of resistance spot welds between overlapping aluminum alloy workpieces; dressing the weld face to remove a depth of material of the welding electrode after the second number of individual resistance spot welds are performed; and texturing the weld face to provide the weld face with a surface roughness after dressing of the weld face.