Mig Spot Welding

Mig spot welding, although sometimes considered a tacking tool, has gained wide
acceptance as a method of joining which is competitive with riveting and resistance spot
welding. In some applications, it has replaced continuous welding methods as it provides
reduced welding costs, reproducibility, and adequate strength for the service requirements
and requires minimum operator skill. Mild steel, stainless steel and aluminum are very
commonly welded with this method. PROCESS DESCRIPTION Mig spot welding, a
variation of the continuous mig welding process, fuses two pieces of sheet material by
penetrating entirely through one of the pieces into the other. There is no joint preparation
required, other than cleaning, only that the two pieces overlap. However, pieces over 1/4
in. (6.4mm) generally require a hole in the top plate and are known as plug welds. Figure
11-1 shows a typical example of a mig spot weld

. Figure 11-1 - Typical Spot Weld - Mild Steel

These techniques are based on the same principles as continuous mig welding except that
there is no travel speed involved; instead, there is a welding time interval. The weld is
made by placing the welding torch directly on the top plate and holding it motionless as
shown in Figure 11-2. When the torch trigger is depressed, the electrode wire and
shielding gas will be continuously fed. The arc will be maintained for a predetermined
period of time and it will continue to penetrate the material in only one place. Eventually,
the weld will penetrate into the bottom sheet. The amount of penetration attained for a
particular material is determined primarily by the welding current and the arc duration.
This relationship is illustrated in Figure 11- 3 for 1/16 (1.6mm), 1/8 (3.2mm), 3/16
(4.8mm) and 1/4 (6.4mm) in. mild steel plate. Note that the weld current has by far the
greatest influence on penetration.
 Figure 11-2 - Technique of Making a Spot Weld

Figure 11-3 Effect of Weld Current and Duration of Penetration Spot Welding Mild
Steel

After the welding time has elapsed, the wire will stop feeding, the power supply weld
contactor is opened and the arc will be broken. However, shielding gas flow should
continue until the weld metal is solidified. Because the welding is performed on a flat
sheet, the filler metal forms a convex reinforcement on the top sheet. Mig spot welding is
most commonly used in the flat position. On the thinner materials (16 gage), welds can
be made in the vertical and overhead positions.
EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS Most mig welding controls are now being produced
with the necessary timing devices to control arc duration, shielding gas flow, and anti-
stick. The arc duration timer controls the amount of time the arc will actually be
maintained. Accuracy of timing to within +1 cycle (.017 sec.) and range adjustment up to
two seconds time is desirable. The post-flow timer is needed to regulate the gas flow after
the arc has been broken. It is important that the spot weld be shielded during the
solidification time. Adjustment of an anti-stick timer keeps the power supply on briefly
after the wire feed motor is shut off and allows the wire electrode to burn back to a
predetermined length. This prevents the end of the wire from freezing in the weld puddle
when the weld is completed. The only other addition to the welding system is a different
shielding gas nozzle. As shown in Figure 11-4, this nozzle is longer than that normally
used for continuous mig welding. This longer cup is necessary because the weld is made
inside the cup. The slots are required to allow hot gases to escape. Spot welding cups are
also available in different sizes. As the thickness of the sheets to be welded increases, the
weld size will increase, and the shielding cup size should also be increased.

CONSUMABLES SHIELDING GAS & ELECTRODE WIRES The shielding gases

and wires used for mig spot welding are the same as that used for continuous mig
welding in all plate materials. Refer to Chapters 5 and 6 for specific recommendations.
However, when spot welding mild steel, it is now more important to use a wire that
contains a substantial level of deoxidizers. Because spot welding times can be as short as
0.3 sec., (18 cycles) the solidification of the weld bead is extremely fast. The wire must
contain deoxidizers to insure that the deposited weld nugget is sound.

WELDING CONDITIONS Table 11-1 and -2 list mig spot welding conditions for mild
steel and aluminum. In addition, stainless steel spot welds may be made using conditions
similar to those listed in Table 11-1. However, the appropriate shielding gas and wire
electrode must be used. Again, these conditions should serve only as a starting point.
Table 11-1 Spot Welding Conditions for Mild Steel