The quality of welding electrodes directly determines the welding efficiency, joint strength and equipment life. Based on industry research and technical analysis, this article summarises the five key factors affecting the quality of welding electrodes, providing practitioners with optimisation direction:
The following are 5 factors that affect the quality of welding electrodes.
1.CTP Plate
Conductivity: High conductivity materials (e.g. copper chromium zirconium) reduce energy loss and avoid overheating of the weldment; low conductivity materials (e.g. copper beryllium) are suitable for concentrated heat production in thick plates.
Hardness and Wear Resistance: High hardness materials (e.g., diffusion reinforced copper) resist wear and keep the electrode shape stable; soft materials are prone to deformation, leading to deviations in the size of the welded joint.
High temperature resistance: High temperature resistant alloys (e.g. Cu-Al₂O₃) avoid high temperature softening and are suitable for aluminium alloy welding; ordinary copper alloys are easy to collapse.
2. Shape and size design
Head shape: flat head suitable for spot welding of thin plate (large contact area), pointed head for convex welding (focused current), spherical to reduce indentation.
Dimensional parameters: diameter needs to match the thickness of the weldment, angle affects pressure distribution.
3. Cooling system
Built-in cooling channel: Effective heat dissipation, preventing the electrode from overheating and softening, prolonging life.
Insufficient cooling: causes the electrode to stick to the weldment, oxidisation increases, and even triggers defects in the welded joints (e.g. porosity, cracks).
4. Maintenance and reconditioning
Oxide layer treatment: Regular reconditioning to remove oxides, restore electrical conductivity and avoid excessive contact resistance.
Wear monitoring: timely replacement of deformed electrodes to prevent uneven welding pressure and current distribution.
5. Equipment Adaptability
Interface Matching: Ensure that the thread or taper is compatible with the electrode rod of the welding machine to avoid loosening or poor contact.
Insulation design: to prevent accidental discharge between the electrode and the weldment, to ensure welding stability.
Material determines the basic performance, shape and size affect the process fit, coolin