The Paton Welding Journal, 2026, №02

2026 №02 (04)

DOI of Article 10.37434/tpwj2026.02.05

2026 №02 (01)

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The Paton Welding Journal, 2026, #2, 36-44 pages

Dynamics of contact between parts during capacitor discharge stud welding

D.M. Kaleko

E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NASU. 11 Kazymyr Malevych Str., 03150, Kyiv, Ukraine. E-mail: dk1718@gmail.com

Abstract
A mandatory condition for obtaining a strong joint in capacitor discharge stud welding is reliable initiation of the capacitor arc discharge, which is ensured by a thin projection at the end of the stud being welded. The source of its heating, especially at the initial stage, remains a subject of discussion. This primarily concerns the understanding of the role of contact electrical resistance between the parts and its transformation during the process. The results of experiments carried out on two welding units with different electrical characteristics of the discharge circuit made it possible to determine the role of the energy parameters at the initial stage of capacitor discharge, as well as the influence of the chemical composition of the welded materials on the change in the physical state of the welding zone (contact between the parts). Welding conditions may result in two different states: the formation of a metallic bond between the stud projection and the sheet, or the formation of a micro-arc gap. With low inductance of the discharge circuit and the corresponding high rate of rise of the discharge current, the contact between the parts in all cases transitions into a micro-arc gap. Thus, depending on the characteristics of the discharge circuit, further heating of the projection up to its local destruction with welding arc initiation may occur either through Joule heating or through heating by two simultaneously acting sources — heat generation in the projection due to the current flowing through it and heat transfer from the tip of the projection heated by the arc. In the latter mode, the surface of the component to which the stud is welded is cleaned of possible contaminants and decorative electrically conductive coatings, thereby creating conditions for obtaining a high-quality welded joint.
Keywords: stud welding, capacitor discharge, arc initiation, micro-arc discharge, contact resistance

Received: 09.06.2025
Received in revised form: 27.11.2025
Accepted: 05.02.2026

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Suggested Citation

D.M. Kaleko (2026) Dynamics of contact between parts during capacitor discharge stud welding. The Paton Welding J., 02, 36-44. https://doi.org/10.37434/tpwj2026.02.05

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