Layout Fact Sheet – Aug. 2020.

qxp_Layout 1 7/10/20 5:51 PM Page 57

FACT SHEET THE AMERICAN WELDER

Arc Stud Welding Basics

Stud welding is a general term for joining a metal stud or
similar component to a workpiece. Stud welding can be ac-
complished with a number of welding processes, including
arc, resistance, friction, and percussion. These processes are
used with conventionally designed equipment with special
tooling for stud welding. However, the equipment and tech-
niques most suited to arc stud welding are derived from the
arc welding processes.
Fundamentals of Arc Stud Welding
Studs are attach-
ments in application-
oriented configurations
that can be welded to
an assembly or struc-
ture to serve as anchor-
ing, spacing, or fasten-
ing devices. The stud
types include many re-
finements of design,
such as threaded fas-
teners, plain or slotted
pins, internally thread-
ed fasteners, flat fas-
teners with a rectangu-
Fig. 1 — Basic stud welding gun lar cross section, head-
and operating components.
ed pins with various
upsets, and headed an-
chors and shear connectors used in steel-to-concrete construc-
tion. It is this broad variety of stud designs and the ability to
weld them that makes stud welding a valuable tool for numer-
ous applications. Most stud styles can be rapidly applied with
portable equipment. A stud welding gun and the basic operat-
ing components of the stud welding process are illustrated in
Fig. 1. Stud welding guns hold the studs and move them in the
proper sequence during welding.
Two basic types of power sources are used to create the arc
for welding studs. One type uses direct current (DC) power
sources and the other type uses capacitor storage banks to
supply the arc power. As a result, the stud welding processes
are commonly known as arc stud welding and capacitor discharge
stud welding, the latter of which is a variation of the arc stud
welding process.
In arc stud welding, the base (end) of the stud and the
workpiece are heated by the arc drawn between the two. When
the stud and the workpiece are sufficiently heated, the stud be-
gins to melt and a weld pool is formed on the workpiece. These
are brought together under low pressure by plunging the stud
into the weld pool. The process is used with or without shield-
ing gas or flux. In some applications, partial shielding is pro-
vided by a ring (called a ferrule) made of ceramic or other ma-
terial surrounding the stud. The heat necessary for the weld-
ing of studs is developed by a DC arc between the electrode
(the stud) and the workpiece (the base plate) to which the stud
is to be welded. The welding current is usually supplied by a
DC transformer-rectifier power source much like those used
for shielded metal arc welding.
Capacitor discharge stud welding derives heat from an arc
produced by the rapid discharge of electrical energy stored in a
bank of capacitors. During or immediately following the elec-
trical discharge, pressure is applied to the stud, plunging the
base of the stud into the weld pool (the molten metal) on the
workpiece. The capacitor discharge mode does not require a
shielding ferrule because of the short duration of the arc and
the small amount of molten metal expelled from the joint. It is
suited for applications requiring small- to medium-sized studs.
Applications of Arc Stud Welding
Fig. 2 — Shear connectors and bar studs used in bridge piling
construction. (Credit: Nelson Stud Welding.)
Stud welding is widely recognized by the metalworking
industries as an essential tool for many challenging joining
operations. The process is used extensively in the fields of
automobile manufacturing, boiler construction, building
and bridge construction, farm and industrial equipment
manufacturing, railroad and rail car construction, and ship-
building. Military applications include missile containers,
armored vehicles, and tanks. Studs can be used as hold-
downs, standoffs, heat transfer members, insulation sup-
ports, and other fastening applications.
Typical applications are attaching wood floors to steel decks
or frameworks; fastening linings or insulation in tanks, box-
cars, and other containers; fastening inspection covers;
mounting machine accessories; securing tubing and wire har-
nesses; and attaching shear connectors and concrete anchors
to structures. Figure 2 shows a stud welding application in the
construction of a bridge pier foundation. Headed shear con-
nector studs were welded to vertical-driven sheet piling and
long deformed bar anchor studs were welded to horizontal
shelf angles prior to pouring the concrete. WJ

Excerpted from the Welding Handbook, Ninth Edition, Volume 2, Welding Processes, Part 1.

AUGUST 2020 / WELDING JOURNAL 57