Ford Approves Seven Spot Welders for Collision Repair

Monday, July 12, 2004
Ford Approves Seven Spot Welders for Collision
Repair
Ford Motor Company has approved seven spot welders for collision repair use after
completion of an extensive testing program.
The testing program involved analysis of welding strength, button size and peel
tests on galvanized coupons. Tests also were completed using wet and dry
structural adhesives and sealers. The coupons were reviewed for button size and
bum back through the adhesives.
The approved spot welders include:
Manufacturer / Contact / Spot Welder Model
AMH Canada / www.amh.ca / Model- CompuSpot 7001W
Milweld Inc. / 920-779-0916 / Model- Elektron MULTISPOT MI-l00
www.elektron-bremen.de
Pro Spot Int'l. Inc. / www.prospot.com / Model- ProSpot PR 10 & Model- ProSpot
PR2000
Saitek (Vanguard Technologies) / www.saitek.net / Model- Saitek SK5w & Model-
Saitek SK5
Tecna (Cebotech, Inc.) / www.tecna.net / Model- Tecna ART3650 Inverter
According to John Hughes, Refinish Paint Technical Expert, Ford Paint & Body
Technology Center, the recommended spot welders meet the minimum
requirements for repairs on Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles.
Based on testing results, Hughes has developed a checklist for repairers who are
considering the purchase of spot welding equipment. His suggestions and
considerations include:
Electrical Power
Repair shops must be electrically equipped to handle resistance welders. Shops
should have minimum 60-amp, 3-phase, 208-volt service to handle most resistance
welding transformer or inverter equipment.

The distance from breaker box to outlet should always be less than 50 feet. An
acceptable circuit consists of a 60-amp breaker with #6 wire; a better circuit is an
80-amp breaker with #4 wire; the best circuit is a 100-amp breaker using #2 wire.
(Caution: If you have a Delta leg (1 l0v, 1 lOv, 220v compared to normal 3-phase
power of 1 lOv, 1 lOv, 1 lOv), make sure the equipment you purchase works with a
Delta leg.)
Air vs. Liquid-Cooled
Air-cooled welders use air for cooling, as well as for pincher pressure. Air for cooling
and pressure may be continuous or intermittent. Some "continuous" units require
large amounts of compressed air for cooling purposes. This can increase electricity
costs. Additionally, some equipment requires high air pressure (1 Sopsi) for
optimum performance. Liquid-cooled welders require minimal compressed air.
There are a variety of styles: Some cool welding tips only; some cool tips and
cables only; some cool tips, cables and the inverter; and some cool tips and the
inverter only. Liquid-cooled machines generally have an improved duty cycle and
decreased adhesive bum-back when weld bonding.
Manual vs. Computerized
Manual welders are less expensive than computerized units but require more
training to master. Computerized resistance spot welders are much less complex to
operate.
Gun Tips and Pressure
Tips make a difference. Flat tips are most widely used today. Round tips work well
when welding through adhesive. Conical tips require high maintenance. Tip
pressure also is important. High pressure is required to weld through adhesive
"weld bond". Low tip pressure causes sparks and excessive adhesive bum through.
Welding Through Adhesive
Class A weld bonding requires: Correct tip pressure (high is good; low isn't); proper
amperage; appropriate gun/tip configuration; appropriate weld time; minimum
adhesive bum-back pattern around weld nugget.
Product Support
Products are only as good as the support you are provided. Here are a few
suggested questions you might want to ask: What are the basic warranty provisions
for the equipment? How many sales representatives does the company employ?
How many service representatives does it employ? What will my down time be if the
equipment stops working? Does the company offer replacements or loaners? What
are the hours for telephone and e-mail support? Does the company provide on-site
technical assistance support?