Cold Pressure Welding: Tips for Success

[z_ahutd]

Hi guys. As a mechanical engineering final year student, I was assigned to design and build a cold welding prototype to weld just two sheets of metal together by lap joint. Before I actually start the designing process, I tried to cold weld the two sheet metals together by using simple methods ie, knocking a punch with a hammer to the metals, pressing using a bench vise etc. None of it would join the two together. I used different kinds of materials and thickness (Copper & Aluminium sheet with 0.5mm, 0.8mm and 1.0mm) but all failed. I don't know what is my mistake here. Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.

 

[brewnog]

So what method of jointing are you going to use? Riveting? Seam rolling? Crimping? Adhesives? Or are you actually expecting that a hammer/punch or vice creates the conditions that cold pressure welding will occur under?

You do know that two pieces of metal won't just stick together by themselves right?

 

[Almsco]

Hi guys,
just found this thread by accident. I sell cold pressure welding equipment but it can't be used for sheet metal. The pressure you would need for that type of material is enormous. Take a look at some head on car smashes and you might just see that some of the metal frame welds together. Our equipment works on wires, rods and square or flat metal bars. We can even weld aluminum to copper. You can see our equipment here: http://www.coldpressurewelding.com/cms/index.php Hope this info is useful for you. br Alan

 

[TheFlynn]

I have seen this being done with aluminum sheet for aerospace applications. If I remember correctly, they were using a rotating head that pressed down onto the two sheets over an anvil. The sheets were drawn through the device to move the pressure point along the desired bead. It was stated in the video I saw, that in applications requiring greater strength, rivets were used instead.

 

[TheFlynn]

Surprised I can't find anything about this on the web, and those that offer cold welding claim it's not possible for sheet metal... Very odd.

 

[pantaz]

I have seen this being done with aluminum sheet for aerospace applications. If I remember correctly, they were using a rotating head that pressed down onto the two sheets over an anvil. The sheets were drawn through the device to move the pressure point along the desired bead. It was stated in the video I saw, that in applications requiring greater strength, rivets were used instead.

It's called "http://www.google.com/search?q=friction+stir+welding"".

 

[Haverberg]

I saw this on Mythbusters. The only way they could cold weld two sheets of metal were with explosives.