Blankholder for a welding apparatus, and welding apparatus comprising said blankholder

A blankholder for a welding apparatus, comprising an upper gripping element and a lower gripping element having longitudinal development along a longitudinal direction, said upper gripping element being movable between a closed position, in which a panel is clamped between said upper gripping element and said lower gripping element, and an open position in which the panel is slidable between said upper gripping element and said lower gripping element;

• said lower gripping element comprising a lower operating surface facing said upper gripping element;
• wherein said lower gripping element further comprises a plurality of movable plates arranged along said longitudinal direction, said movable plates being suitable to be moved by handling members in a direction substantially perpendicular to said lower operating surface, between a first position in which the movable plates do not protrude or protrude by a minimum height relative to said lower operating surface, and a second position in which the movable plates protrude relative to said lower operating surface by a predetermined maximum height, said movable plates being arranged with a gripping surface along the longitudinal direction.