Welding gun with a displacement measuring system

A handheld welding gun for welding a fastener to a component according to a welding process, the handheld welding gun comprising:

• a housing with a main portion and a grip with a trigger, the grip extending from the main portion;
• a holding unit mounted on the main portion and adapted to hold the fastener;
• a linear actuator unit with a linear actuator housing and a linear actuator rod adapted to actuate the holding unit in order to move the fastener between a lift position and a plunge position, the linear actuator rod extending partly inside and partly outside the linear actuator housing;
• a nozzle surrounding the holding unit and adapted to contact the component;
• a welding current contact element arranged in the housing and adapted to direct a welding current to the fastener;
• a sensor unit adapted to measure a parameter during the welding process;
• a processing system with a control card adapted to control the parameter of the welding process;
• and
• a displacement measuring system communicating with the control card, wherein the linear actuator unit, the displacement measuring system and the control card are connected together, and the linear actuator unit is mounted in the main portion at an opposite side of the holding unit;
• and
• a coil body arranged within the linear actuator housing, and a first bearing and a second bearing each arranged between the coil body and the linear actuator housing, wherein the first bearing is arranged at a first end of the coil body, and the second bearing is arranged at a second end of the linear actuator housing.

A handheld welding gun for welding a fastener to a component according to a welding process, the handheld welding gun comprising:

• a welding gun housing with a main portion and a grip with a trigger, the grip extending from the main portion;
• a holder mounted on the main portion and adapted to hold the fastener;
• a linear actuator assembly with a linear actuator housing and a linear actuator rod adapted to actuate the holder in order to move the fastener between a lift position and a plunge position;
• a control card adapted to control a parameter of the welding process;
• and
• a displacement measuring system adapted to measure motion of the linear actuator rod and communicate with the control card,
• wherein the linear actuator assembly, the displacement measuring system, and the control card are connected together independent of the welding gun housing.