The Different Types Of Spot Welders And What They Are Used For!

Spot welding machines vary in design and purpose, fitting different tasks and work settings. It's key to know what's out there to pick the best tool for your job. Let's dive into the  main kinds of spot welding machines: Portable, Bench, Pedestal, Seam, Butt, Inverter and  Robotic Spot Welders.

Portable Handheld Spot Welders

Handheld spot welders have been around since spot welding was invented early last century. Its one of the oldest forms of joining metals. 

Portable are compact, and can be easy-to-carry and typically have a lower power output than their larger industrial brothers. Perfect for bringing along to job sites or fitting into tight workshop spaces. Due to their size, they are primarily used on these steel materials and were ideal for welding car body panels ( although that is not true for modern cars. See our post on Why Do We Weld to understand why? ).

They're great for small jobs because they are air-cooled, and this means the electrodes can heat up quickly. Useful in the auto and construction world where moving around is part of the job. Their main perks?  Portable spot welders are all about flexibility and simplicity, welcoming users of all.

Bench Spot Welders

These are meant to stay put on workbenches. They pack more punch than their portable cousins and give you more control over your welding work as well as usually being water cooled. Being bench mounted they are generally used on production lines for spot welding small components together. Ideal for places that work with small to medium parts—think electronics, jewelry, or dental items.

Why Choose a Bench welder?

Their strong suit? Bench spot welders strike a nice balance between power and precision, making consistent welds easier for repetitive tasks. They fit easily onto work benches and are perfect for production welding whilst sitting down.

Pedestal Spot Welders- Pedal Operated

Bigger and beefier than bench models, these stand-alone machines mean business. They're set up on pedestals, making for a comfy working height. We have sold many of these types of welders into the wire work industry for manufacturing cards and seed display stands. They are ideal for wire work on mild and stainless steels.  The arms ar generally extendable and panels upto 400mm wide can be accommodated.  You'll see pedestal welders in the thick of it in industries like automotive, aerospace, and heavy manufacturing, tackling larger, tougher materials.

Why go for a pedestal spot welder?

Well if you looking for a reliable spot welder designed to perform hundreds of thousands of welds in its lifetime with repeatable quality the foot operated pedestal is the way to go. 

Column Spot Welder - Pneumatic Operated

Pneumatic operated spot welders are essentially the same as their pedestal operated sisters in that they share the same features and technical specifications. The addition of Pneumatics just enables easier operation in a production environment

Linear Spot Welder 

Linear spot welders are pure production machines designed to give millions of welds in a lifetime and are extremelly reliable. We have installed 100s of Linear spot welders into aircraft, industrial and engineering companies.

Due to the nature of the piston being “linear” the squeeze pressure onto the material is more consistent giving better quality welds especially on stainless steel, aluminium and galvanised materials. 

Linera spot welders usually have top of the range programmable controls which enables faster more repetitive welding for quality control.

Current an pressure measuring controls can also be fitted for even higher quality control.

Seam Welders

What Are Seam Welders? Seam welders specialise in creating continuous welds along a seam or joint between two pieces of metal. Unlike spot welding, which fuses materials at individual points, seam welding creates a long, continuous weld. This technique is vital in ensuring leak-proof, strong joins over extended areas.

How Do They Work? Seam welders use a combination of pressure and heat, applied through rotating wheel electrodes. As the metal pieces pass between these electrodes, the welder consistently heats and fuses the material along the seam. The process is somewhat akin to sewing fabric, but with metal and using heat and pressure instead of thread.

Applications Seam welders are indispensable in industries requiring airtight or watertight seals in metal containers or tubes. You'll find them hard at work in automotive manufacturing (for fuel tanks, exhaust systems), HVAC fabrication (for ductwork, pipes), and in the production of kitchen appliances (like stainless steel sinks).

Advantages The main benefits of seam welding include its ability to create strong, continuous welds that are both aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound. It's also relatively fast and efficient, capable of handling high-volume production needs.

Butt Welders

What Are Butt Welders?

Butt welders join two pieces of rod or wire  end-to-end or edge-to-edge without any overlap. This technique is used to create a single, seamless piece from two separate parts. The method involves bringing the pieces together under heat and pressure until they melt

How Do They Work? In butt welding, the pieces to be joined are typically clamped and then either heated by an electric current or brought to a forge welding temperature. When the ends are sufficiently heated, they're pressed together, causing the metals to fuse as they cool. This method can be used with a wide range of metals and for various thicknesses.

Applications Butt welding is generally used in wire work applications in joining the ends of wire together to create a continuous loop

Advantages Butt welding's strengths lie in its ability to create extremely strong and uniform joints, with a neat appearance and without adding extra material or weight. It's particularly useful for constructing long stretches of piping or structural frames where integrity and strength are paramount.

Both seam and butt welders are integral to modern manufacturing, offering solutions to complex welding needs and ensuring that components meet strict quality and durability standards. Whether you're creating watertight seals with seam welders or crafting strong, seamless joints with butt welders, these tools are key to achieving precision and reliability in metal fabrication.

Suspended X Type Spot Welders

• Suspended: This welding gun is suspended from a ceiling-mounted track or a spring balancer, allowing for greater freedom of movement compared to a stationary column welder.
• X-Type: Refers to the arm configuration where the welding head is positioned at the end of a folding arm. This design facilitates reaching awkward angles and tight spaces.

Advantages over Column Welders:

• Maneuverability: The suspended design allows the operator to effortlessly position the weld head throughout the workpiece, ideal for complex shapes and large objects.
• Increased Productivity: Faster welding due to easier positioning and reduced need to move the workpiece itself.
• Ergonomics: Reduced operator fatigue due to the elimination of heavy gun manipulation.

Industries:

• Automotive Manufacturing: Extensive use in assembling car bodies, frames, and various components due to the need for intricate welds in tight spaces.
• Aerospace: Fabrication of lightweight airframes due to the accuracy and control offered by the X-type gun.
• Appliance Manufacturing: Sheet metal assembly tasks benefit from the flexibility and speed of suspended welding.
• General Metal Fabrication: Any application requiring welds on large or complex workpieces can benefit from this technology.

Additional Points:

• X-type guns are often pneumatic, meaning they rely on compressed air for operation.
• They integrate with weld transformers that provide the necessary high current for creating the weld.
• Modern X-type guns often incorporate gyro-stabilization for smooth gun movement and microprocessor controls for precise welding parameters.

We have sold many of these types of welders for fencing manufacturers enabling them to go around the outside of the panel quickly and easily welding the mesh to the tubular frame.