Method to attach a plate to a steel substrate

A method for attaching a plate to a steel substrate, comprising:

• providing an elongate hollow cylindrical element open at one end;
• at least partly enclosing an opposite end of the cylindrical element with a disk fixed on the element and comprised at least partly of iron;
• facing the disk against the steel substrate;
• placing one or more wafers in the element at the disk, the wafers having material therein that acts as a reducing agent for oxides of iron;
• introducing an ignited oxygen lance into the element so that the wafers begin to burn and melt;
• allowing the wafers to continue burning and melting until the wafers, a portion of the disk and a proximal zone of the steel substrate adjacent the disk unite to form a weld body projecting from within the element into the steel substrate;
• allowing the element, disk, weld body and proximal zone to cool, whereby the weld body is welded to the steel substrate and forms a mechanical lock between the element and the steel substrate;
• forming an aperture in the plate, the aperture's diameter sized to accommodate the cylindrical element;
• placing the plate on the substrate such that the cylindrical element passes through the aperture;
• engaging a fastener with the cylindrical element and the plate so that the plate is held on the substrate.