What material is best for Seam Weld Wheels?

Created at : Jan 2, 2024

What Material is Best for Seam Weld Wheels? 

Seam welding is a technique for joining overlapping sheets of metal, creating continuous or overlapping welds. These wheels are responsible for conducting electricity and heat to create the weld, and their material makes all the difference. 

Copper boasts exceptional electrical and thermal conductivity, ensuring efficient current and heat transfer from the weld zone. Copper alloyed with other metals, i.e. chromium, zirconium creates a copper alloy seam weld wheel with excellent properties for welding.
 
Seam weld wheels also referred to as electrode wheels, have two popular copper alloys by RWMA* Class that have a different balance of properties for specific applications. Here's a breakdown of the most common choices:

•    RWMA Class 2 (C18150, C18200): The most common and reliable alloys for seam welding, suitable for mild steel, cold-rolled steel, brass, bronze, and other materials with moderate conductivity. 
•    RWMA Class 3 (C18000, C17510): A tougher alloy that tackles high-resistance materials like stainless steel and nickel alloys.

These classes also use different materials which have different hardness, conductivity, heat resistance or/and wear resistance. 

After material selection, seam weld wheels come in a variety of shapes and sizes, each tailored for different needs. Some common wheel profiles include: 
- V-grooved wheels: good for lap welding and creating tight seams
- Flat wheels: used for general-purpose welding and for applications where minimal marking is desired

Most wheels are made from a blueprint with specific dimensions for your unique application. 

In conclusion, seam welding wheels are made from materials selected for their electrical conductivity, heat resistance, durability, and wear resistance. Copper alloys offer the best materials to use and by understanding these materials and considerations you can get the best wheel to ensure strong, lasting welds. 

For more information visit https://www.cadicompany.com/seam-weld-wheels-blanks

*Resistance Welding Manufacturing Alliance (RWMA)

-Tom Chandler, Metallurgist, Cadi Company, Inc.