Resistance welding electrode and process

A resistance welding electrode, comprising:

• an electrically conductive metal body having a base portion, means for cooling said body, and an integral nose portion projecting from said base portion an axial nose length and terminating in a welding tip face, wherein said nose portion tapers inwardly between said base portion and said welding tip face with a concave profile taper, wherein said nose portion is axially offset from said base portion, and wherein said welding tip face is fabricated to define a convex welding tip curvature, wherein said welding tip face has a face diameter, said face diameter and said welding tip curvature defining a crown height near the center of said welding tip face, wherein said crown height ranges between about 0.0015 and 0.003 inches, and wherein said welding tip face has a thin coating of material for reducing initial weld sticking, said coating selected from the group comprising rhodium, zinc, graphite, titanium carbide, grease and carbon.

A process for welding metal members together, comprising the steps of:

• pressing the metal members together between a pair of resistance welding electrodes;
• and
• passing an electric current through said electrodes and through said metal members to weld the members together, at least one of said electrodes comprising an electrically conductive metal body having a base portion, means for cooling said body, and an integral nose portion projecting from said base portion an axial nose length and terminating in a welding tip face, wherein said nose portion tapers inwardly between said base portion and said welding tip face with a concave profile taper for self-dressing during welding, wherein said nose portion is axially offset from said base portion, and wherein said welding tip face is non-flat and fabricated to define a shape having a convex welding tip curvature, wherein said welding tip face has a face diameter, said face diameter and said welding tip curvature defining a crown height near the center of said welding tip face, wherein said crown height is less than about 0.003 inches so said shape of said welding tip face allows radial expulsion of waste material and wherein said welding tip face is shaped to avoid initial conditioning of the electrode.

A process for welding metal members together, comprising the steps of:

• pressing the metal members together between a pair of resistance welding electrodes;
• and
• passing an electric current through said electrodes and through said metal members to weld the members together, at least one of said electrodes comprising an electrically conductive metal body having a base portion, means for cooling said body, and an integral nose portion projecting from said base portion an axial nose length and terminating in a welding tip face, wherein said nose portion tapers inwardly between said base portion and said welding tip face with a concave profile taper, wherein said nose portion is axially offset from said base portion, and wherein said welding tip face is fabricated to define a convex welding tip curvature, wherein said welding tip face has a face diameter, said face diameter and said welding tip curvature defining a crown height near the center of said welding tip face, wherein said crown height ranges between about 0.0015 and 0.003 inches, wherein said welding tip face has a thin coating of material for reducing initial weld sticking, said coating selected from the group comprising rhodium, zinc, graphite, titanium carbide, grease and carbon.

A process for welding metal members together, comprising the steps of:

• pressing the metal members together between a pair of resistance welding electrodes;
• and
• passing an electric current through said electrodes and through said metal members to weld the members together, at least one of said electrodes comprising an electrically conductive metal body having a base portion, means for cooling said body, and an integral nose portion projecting from said base portion an axial nose length and terminating in a welding tip face, wherein said nose portion of said body is made up of essentially pure copper, wherein said nose portion tapers inwardly between said base portion and said welding tip face with a concave profile taper for self-dressing during welding, and wherein said welding tip face is non-flat and fabricated to define a convex welding tip curvature, wherein said welding tip face has a face diameter, said face diameter and said welding tip curvature defining a shape of said welding tip face which allows radial expulsion of waste material and wherein said welding tip face is shaped to avoid initial conditioning of the electrode.

A resistance welding electrode, comprising:

• an electrically conductive metal body having a base portion, means for cooling said body, and an integral nose portion projecting from said base portion an axial nose length and terminating in a welding tip face, wherein said nose portion tapers inwardly between said base portion and said welding tip face with a concave profile taper for self-dressing during welding, and wherein said welding tip face is non-flat and fabricated to define a convex welding tip curvature, wherein said welding tip face has a face diameter, said face diameter and said welding tip curvature defining a shape of said welding tip face which allows radial expulsion of waste material and wherein said welding tip face is shaped to avoid initial conditioning of the electrode, wherein said nose portion of said body is made up of non-dispersion strengthened essentially pure copper.