Proceedings of the 1st WSEAS International Conference on MATERIALS SCIENCE (MATERIALS'08)

The Study of Proper Time Range Welding to Resistance Spot

Welding for Mild Steel
S. NANSAARNG*, P. PEARSURA
Department of Production Technology Education, Faculty of Industrial Education and Technology
King Mongkuts University of Technology Thonburi
126 Pracha Uthid Rd., Bangmod, Troong Kru, Bangkok 10140.
THAILAND
Abstract: - This research use the mechanical property and macro testing to identify the proper time rang for current
flow. The specimen tested was 1 mm. thickness in mild steel. The welded specimens were tested by Tensile Shear
testing following JIS Z 3136: 1999 and Macro Structure testing following JIS Z 3139:1978 Subsequently, the analyzed
data were compared with standard JIS Z 3140. The results show that the suitable current flow is 8 to 10 cycle tensile
shear test5.33 kN to 6.39 kN nugget size 4.92 mm. to 5.66 mm. . It can be concluded that this technique can be applied
to monitor the processes and the quality of resistance spot welding.
Key-Words: - Resistance spot welding, Mechanical Property, Macro Structure Testing

1 Introduction

2 Equipments and Experiment Method

Resistance spot welding is a type of welding process in

use by automotive industry, furniture, building
construction and electronics with the most common
application because it can weld the workpieces speedily
with less thermal effect, strong enough to use and easy
method for operating. The operating systems of
resistance spot welding were: 1) Electrode set-down 2)
Squeeze 3) Current Flow 4) Forging 5) Hold Time and
6) Lift-off). Resistance spot welding has three mainly
components: 1) Heat 2) Pressure and 3) Time. The
problems which occur after welding are the indicators
that being the complete welds or not. Due to the present
checking process via the nondestructive can not respond
to the requirements for checking but using checking
process via the destructive. From these reason, it may
occur problems on the cost of production, lose checking
time and lose time in producing new workpieces
according to incomplete welds.
The complete workpieces by resistance spot
welding consist of various components such as the
electrical current, pressure and current flow. Therefore,
the education of suitable time of current flow to
resistance spot welding was the important factor. If
using much or less current flow, it would have affected
the mechanical property which reduced the strength of
workpieces. This research used Mechanical Property test
and Macro test being the criteria for considering the
completion of specimens. The results of this research
could be the basic data in making research or being the
information for quality control resistance spot welding
then.

ISSN: 1790-2769

1. The specimen tested was cast steel which passed cold

polling process with a thickness of 1mm. Specimen
preparation following JIS Z 3136: 1999 by cutting
specimen 30 mm in wideness and 100 mm in length.
2. Used Truncated radius electrodes (TR) following JIS
C 9304:1999 with electrode 6 mm in diameter.
3. Compress force at 0.25 Mega-Pascal.

Figure 1 Coordinate Measurement Machine (CMM)

4. Welding current was 9,500 amps, different at current
flow by increasing the range of current flow from 1 to
15 cycle. Testing on each currents about 20 times
following JIS Z 3136:1999, JIS Z 3139:1978, and JIS Z
3140

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ISBN: 978-960-474-024-6

Proceedings of the 1st WSEAS International Conference on MATERIALS SCIENCE (MATERIALS'08)

Fig.3, the specimen at current flow of 6 cycle, it was

found that it was torn apart through the nugget due to the
nugget size had equal strength as the weld. Normally,
the complete welds need least strength equal to the
specimen.

5. Tested the strength of a weld by Tensile Shear testing

following JIS Z 3136:1999 using 10 specimens on each
test.
6. Making the test on Macro Structure or measuring the
weld nugget size following JIS Z 3139:1978 with 10
specimens by Coordinate Measurement Machine
(CMM) (Fig. 1)
7. Then, an analysis of data gathered to find for the
complete welding following JIS Z 3140.

3 Results
3.1 Results of Tensile Shear testing
Tensile Shear testing was the test on mechanical
property of weld for measuring Tensile Shear which
using 10 specimens for each testing according to JIS Z
3136:1999.
Figure 4 Tensile Shear specimen at current flow of
14 cycle
As shown in Fig.4, the specimen at current flow of 14
cycle, it was found that it was torn apart through Heat
Affected Zone due to the time of current flow was too
much, so it occurred more quantity of heat which
affected the Heat Affected Zone having a width greater
with least strength and having a torn apart including
reducing the strength.

3.2 Results of Macrostructure

Macrostructure test, Diameter Nugget Size and a percent
of penetration by Coordinate Measurement Machine
(CMM) from ROI Instrument which using in Macro
Structure measuring regarding to the measuring of
nugget size and a percent of penetration with 7x
magnification in millimeter unit.

Figure 2 Results of Tensile Shear testing compared with

Current Flow
As shown in Fig.2, Tensile Shear of weld had high value
until to the current flow at 13 cycle with the highest
value of Tensile Shear. In the next cycle, Tensile Shear
was reduced because of more quantity of heat which
affected the Heat Affected Zone having a width greater
with least strength and having a torn apart.

Figure 5 Measurement of nugget size by Coordinate

Measurement Machine (CMM)
Figure 3 Tensile Shear specimen at current flow of
6 cycle

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ISBN: 978-960-474-024-6

Proceedings of the 1st WSEAS International Conference on MATERIALS SCIENCE (MATERIALS'08)

According to Fig.5 , it showed the measurement of

nugget size by Coordinate Measurement Machine
(CMM) from dark areas which were the nugget size.
Light area were Heat Affected Zone.
From Fig.6 , it showed the nugget size of specimen
which larger in size following high current flow in a
high voltage in considering the melting rate in
acceptance criteria depending on suitable rate at 20-80
%, so that could be acceptance.

3.3 Results of complete welding analysis

The comparison analysis of pressure on specimens with
results analysis between Tensile Shear and nugget size
for determining the level of pressure using in complete
welding as shown in the following:

Nugget Size / Tensile Shear

Figure 6 Nugget Size compared with Current Flow

7
6.5
6
5.5
5
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2

Nugget Size
Tensile Shear

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Current Flow (cycle)

Figure 7 Testing Results of Nugget Size and Tensile Shear compared with Current Flow

In the next cycle, the melting rate had more than 80% so
that could be acceptance. Therefore, the suitable
pressure was within 7 cycle to 13 cycle or electrical
pressure value from 333 to 268 mV.

When considering of pressure on specimens

compared with Tensile Shear and nugget size, the
acceptance criteria of Tensile Shear for cast steel had the
value as 4.9 kN [1] current flow was in acceptance
criteria [4] since current flow of 3 cycle and Tensile
Shear was 5.33 kN to 13 cycle with highest value while
decreasing value of Tensile Shear and pull-outlet
fracture [3] due to the nugget size had more strength
than specimens.
When considering of nugget size according to
standard [2] in considering the suitable melting rate at
20 -80% [5]. The results was showed that the suitable
size of nugget was in current flow of 7 cycle with nugget
size of 4.7 mm to 13 cycle with nugget size of 5.6 mm.

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4 Conclusion
Due to the result, it could be summarized that the
complete specimens had increased electrical pressure in
1 cycle and was the highest in 2 cycles. After that
electrical pressure was decreased and be stable until the
last cycle with electrical pressure of 333 268 mV,
Tensile Shear of 6.09 -6.59 kN and nugget size of 4.7 5.6 mm. The incomplete specimens had unstable
electrical pressure in each cycle because of the dirtiness

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[3] Williams, D.E., Beneteau. D.M., Clark, J.A., Lyons,

B.H., Sampson. E.R. and Waite, R.F., Test Methods
for Evaluating Welded Joints , American Welding
Society, Welding Hand Book, 9 th ed., Vol. 1, 2001,
pp. 249-250.
[4] Japanese Industrial Standard, Methode of Inspection
for Spot Welding, Japanese Standard Association,
JIS Z 3140-1989, Japan, 1989, pp. 814-821
[5] Papritan, J.C., Anderson, K.R., Hannahs, J.R., Lee,
J.W., Lemon, A., Lundin, C.D., Miller, D.R., Pense,
A.W., Sandor, L. and Snyder, J.P., Weld Quality,
American Welding Society, Welding Hand Book, 8th
ed., Vol. 1, 1998, pp. 369-373.

on the surface which made the current flow could not

flow convenience. This research could lead way to the
quality control of resistance spot welding then.
According to the results, it could be used in
resistance spot welding on alternating-current welding or
being the decision making basic in selecting suitable
variables for the strength, nugget size and suitable
melting rate with the next resistance spot welding.
References:
[1] Japanese Industrial Standard, Method of Tension
Shear Test for Spot Welded Joint, Japanese
Standard Association, JIS Z 3136-1978, Japan, 1995,
pp. 637-639.
[2] Japanese Industrial Standard, Method of Macro Test
for Section of Spot Welded Joint, Japanese Standard
Association, JIS Z 3139-1978, Japan, 1995, pp. 658661.

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ISBN: 978-960-474-024-6