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Zinc Plating on Weld Studs

  • Thread starter Ox
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Ox

Diamond
Joined
Aug 27, 2002
Location
Northwest Ohio
Any experience with [resistance] welding already plated studs that were plated prior?

Would it be likely that the plate would still be OK in the threaded portion yet?
Or would it likely be burnt off 1/2 the way up or ???

5/16 headed weld studs 3/4 long in 1/16" plate. (3/4 diameter head with weld protrusions)



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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
I don't recall using plated ones, but the 5/8 and 3/4 ones we used were pretty cool to the touch at the threaded portion at release, so I doubt any plating would be compromised that far up.
 
I'd be more concerned about health - if you get any zinc fumes from the welding, try to have ventilation to the outside (and away from walkways, etc.).

Passing the fumes through a good, replaceable HEPA filter would be helpful, but check on proper disposal of the filter when loaded.
 
"bumps" is projection weld. So welds happen there, not the whole flange & shank.
Also, allot of spot welder electrodes/tongs/tips are water cooled.

I'm sure the stud manuf would be best place for that question, with recommended setting, they
wouldn't make them if half the plating got burned off eh ?
Spot Weld Studs | Weld Stud with 3 Projections Under the Head | JHP Fasteners


Those are the studs that I was looking at, but I don't think that they offer them plated.
We would have to plate them before assy, but just wasn't sure if they would git too hot or not.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
Those are the studs that I was looking at, but I don't think that they offer them plated.
We would have to plate them before assy, but just wasn't sure if they would git too hot or not.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Oh...so your having them plated ? not buying them pre-plated.

I would still ask the supplier, I'll bet they have seen this before.
 
Those are the studs that I was looking at, but I don't think that they offer them plated.
We would have to plate them before assy, but just wasn't sure if they would git too hot or not.


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
Why zinc plate before welding and then burn off the zinc during welding? The zinc is there to protect the steel from rusting. Weld then zinc plate?

Roger
 
I would think you would be okay. It’s a quick weld the heat should really go into the head and plate, not up the shank very much at all. You may want to mask off the dimples prior to plating OR hit them with a wire wheel or something after plating / before welding so it’s bare metal to bare metal contact. If it’s a big deal maybe you could make a copper nut you spin down the threaded portion prior to plating to give some more mass for the heat to go into should it progress up the shank and spoil the plating. (You would then take the copper nut off and reuse it). Good luck!
 
None of those sound like productive options.

You really think that the plating on the dimples would mess with the welding contact?


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
None of those sound like productive options.

You really think that the plating on the dimples would mess with the welding contact?


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

The plating will have no effect on the weld ability. I had that concern many, many years ago with zinc dichromate plated parts. The dichromate is a an insulator and I thought this might interfere with the welding. The chromate film is very thin and the handling of the parts and the force of the welder easily penetrated it. Once the welding current is applied, that film disappears and the zinc winds up in the weld expulsion.

Go for it.

Tom
 
The plating will have no effect on the weld ability. I had that concern many, many years ago with zinc dichromate plated parts. The dichromate is a an insulator and I thought this might interfere with the welding. The chromate film is very thin and the handling of the parts and the force of the welder easily penetrated it. Once the welding current is applied, that film disappears and the zinc winds up in the weld expulsion.

Go for it.

Tom

Yeah, you’re probably right. There’s an application where we projection weld heat treated 4340 posts and we have to hit the base on a belt to get the scale off for a good weld. I just think having “fresh” steel exposed for welding is better but maybe a teensie bit of plating won’t hurt anything.
 
Yeah, you’re probably right. There’s an application where we projection weld heat treated 4340 posts and we have to hit the base on a belt to get the scale off for a good weld. I just think having “fresh” steel exposed for welding is better but maybe a teensie bit of plating won’t hurt anything.

Scale, yes that needs to come off. Other options are to get the parts zinc plated but no dichormate dip, nickel plating, brass plating. The issue with these is that in the grand scheme of things bare zinc is uncommon because the unprotected zinc will turn to zinc oxide, a white powder, nickel is somewhat common but probably more expensive and brass is very uncommon. If you have volumes, these are not a big deal, but few have use for hundreds of thousands or millions of parts.

Tom
 








 
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