Sealed weld element for attachment to a vehicle component and method

A projection welding assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

• a vehicle body part including a hole therein;
• and
• a weld element configured to establish an anchor point at the hole in the vehicle body part while also preventing at least one of gases and material contaminants from passing through the body part, the weld element including,
• a barrel located in the hole in the vehicle body part, the barrel including a connective structure and a bore, the barrel defining a spacer that is configured to space the vehicle body part from a member to be attached to the vehicle body part, wherein the bore extends entirely through the barrel having first and second axial ends and having a first opening adjacent one end of the barrel at the first axial end to receive a mating element that attaches to the barrel, and a second opening adjacent the second axial end of the barrel;
• and
• a first flange located adjacent the second opening of the barrel and including a proximal surface and a distal surface,
• a projection weld ring located on the proximal surface of the first flange and extending continuously about 360 degrees around the barrel, and
• a plug configured to extend into the second opening of the barrel,
• a second flange portion surrounding the plug and configured to mate with the second axial end of the barrel, and
• a connection structure configured to connect the plug to the second axial end of the barrel independently of the connective structure in the barrel, wherein
• the weld ring is welded to the vehicle body part in a continuous manner about an entire periphery of the hole in the vehicle body part, the weld ring also being configured to prevent transmission of at least one of gases and material contaminants from a first side of the vehicle body part to a second side of the vehicle body part.