Design and Development of a Portable Resistance Spot Welding Machine for Small-Scale Industries

Abstract

Resistance spot welding (RSW) is a commonly used process in a variety of fields such as automotive, aerospace, household, furniture, and railway for welding sheet metal parts. These industries further demand a welding machine that is portable and versatile in terms of where it can be utilized, such as, among others, remote locations, and is cost and energy-efficient, reliable, and highly efficient performance-wise. With this aim, the work develops a portable spot-welding machine with specific specifications, of an electrode of 0.394 inches in diameter and 10 inches in length, made of copper, and transformer specifications of 6 V-1500 A with 7 variable current settings. This machine is designed to provide accurate, consistent, and reliable welding readings. Additionally, the machine works on an AC supply of 220 volts, making it easily usable. The machine is found to be cost-effective, with a development cost of only 6100 rupees. It has also been found to be reliable and effective in welding up to two 3 mm mild steel plates under different currents, resistivity, and voltage settings. The machine is simple to operate and user-friendly and with a compact and lightweight design, it is highly versatile and easy to operate for a wide range of welding applications.