In 1838, Englishman Isaac Butterworth also patented a process for resistance welding. However, it was not until the late 19th century that the process began to be used for industrial applications.
In 1885, German engineer Karl Friedrich Miller was issued a patent for a resistance welding process that used an electrically charged electrode to weld two pieces of metal together. This process, known as spot welding, quickly became popular for joining sheet metal components.
In the early 20th century, resistance welding was further developed for use in the automotive industry. In 1912, Henry Ford used resistance welding to join the steel body panels of his Model T cars. This marked the beginning of the mass production of automobiles.
Today, resistance welding is used in a variety of industries, including the automotive, aerospace, and shipbuilding industries. The process is also used to weld together a variety of materials, including metals, plastics, and composites.
In the early days of resistance welding, the process was used primarily for joining sheet metal and was not widely used for other applications. It wasn’t until the early 20th century that resistance welding began to be used for joining larger pieces of metal, such as pipes and tubing.
The basic principle behind resistance welding is simple: two pieces of metal are placed in contact with each other and an electric current is passed through them. The resistance of the metal to the current causes the two pieces to heat up and weld together.
There are two main types of resistance welding: spot welding and seam welding. Spot welding is used to join two pieces of metal at a single point, while seam welding is used to join two pieces of metal along a seam. Seam welding is the more common of the two, as it is more versatile and can be used to join a variety of different materials.
Resistance welding is a widely used manufacturing process, as it is fast, efficient, and produces strong welds. The process is commonly used in the automotive industry, as well as in the production of appliances, electronics, and other consumer goods.
