Most people associate the use of stud welding with large building projects such as commercial properties, factories, hotels, business towers and other similar types of large structures made of concrete and steel. The second most commonly associated type of use for welding studs is bridge building, where the weld studs are essential to hold the decking on the structure for stability and structural security.
Applications
However, stud welding processes, both drawn arc as well as capacitor discharge (CD) welding, is used in many different and diverse industries and applications. If you look closely, you will find that heavy equipment, including agricultural equipment, is assembled using this method. So are the components in power plants and for power switching systems. Ship building also uses stud welding technology and welding studs to assemble small boats to massive tankers and military ships.
The process is used in the manufacturing of HVAC systems, stainless steel and metal alloy components for the food service industry, for the manufacturing of pots and pans and even for jewelry manufacturing and general fabrication needs.
The Differences
With all these different applications for the process, there is a need for a specialized selection of weld studs. This selection includes both the design of the welding studs as well as the alloy, the size and the specific features that make those studs the correct option for the application.
In general, weld studs used for capacitor discharge processes are smaller in diameter than those used for drawn arc stud welding. The capacitor discharge weld studs are found anywhere that the base material is thinner. With the smaller diameter studs, even thin base metals can be CD welded without damage to the other side.
With both CD and drawn arc stud welds, it will be essential to consider the threading required. Different types of weld studs can be completely or partially threaded to suit any type of application.