What is a Capacitor Discharge welding system?

The Capacitor Discharge (CD) Welding System by T. J. Snow is a stored energy welding system that is available in 2 and 3 head models. Nut and part feeders can also be easily integrated into the system.

Are electrolytic capacitors a viable alternative for large capacity CD welding systems?

Electrolytic capacitors (E-caps) offer a potential alternative for large capacity CD welding systems. E-caps incorporate an electrolyte impregnated into a separator. The separator is then sandwiched between anodic and cathodic foils. A dielectric is also used to prevent direct contact of the foils with the electrolyte.

Does a film capacitor provide a similar voltage tolerance for CD welding?

Performance was evaluated based on current range behavior and metallographic response. Conclusions from this work include: to film capacitors – An array was developed to provide similar voltage tolerance and system capacitance to a standard film variant conventionally used for CD welding.

Can a nut & part feeder be integrated into a welding system?

The Capacitor Discharge (CD) Resistance Welding process allows for nut and part feeders to be easily integrated into the system. This welding process utilizes stored energy rather than conventional methods which use direct demand on incoming power, resulting in very short welding times – typically in 10 milliseconds or less.

Can e-caps be used for CD welding?

Use of E-caps for CD welding applications does have some challenges. Most notably, E-caps have limits to usable voltages before electrolyte break-down. Current maximum voltages for large capacity E-caps is on the order of 800 V. In addition, E-caps are relatively intolerant to voltage reversals.

Can electrolytic capacitor arrays be used for balancing resistors?

The application of such electrolytic capacitor arrays is, of course, not without design considerations. One challenge is the design of arrays that can uniformly balance voltages across series capacitors during repeated charging cycles. In this work, that was accomplished through the use of balancing resistors (~100 kΩ).