Method and device for joining elements to components

A joining method for joining by welding a weld stud to a workpiece, the method comprising the following steps:

• providing a drawn arc welding device and a plasma gas cleaning device;
• providing the weld stud and providing the workpiece, the workpiece including a joining surface;
• cleaning the joining surface using a plasma gas cleaning method including the cleaning steps of:
• supplying a flow of a compressed gas to the plasma gas cleaning device;
• generating in the plasma gas cleaning device a non-transferred arc;
• generating with the non-transferred arc a plasma from the compressed gas;
• directing the plasma onto the joining surface to remove contaminants thereon;
• and
• joining the weld stud to the workpiece by drawn arc welding using the drawn arc welding device including forming of a transferred electric arc between the weld stud and the joining surface.