Definition

Noun: 1. A welding process: Spot welding is a specific type of resistance welding process where two or more metal sheets are joined together at small, discrete points (spots) by applying pressure and heat generated from an electric current.

Usage

• Spot welding is a common industrial technique.
• It is primarily used for joining overlapping pieces of sheet metal.
• The process is fast and efficient for high-volume production, such as in automotive manufacturing.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The car's chassis is assembled using spot welding.
  • Spot welding creates strong bonds without the need for filler material.
  • The technician adjusted the machine for spot welding the thin steel panels.

Advanced Usage

• "Resistance spot welding (RSW)": This is the full technical term for the process, emphasizing that the heat is generated by the electrical resistance of the workpieces.
  • Resistance spot welding is the most widely used variant in manufacturing.

Variants and Related Words

• Spot-weld (verb): The action of performing this welding process.
  • The robot will spot-weld the frame components.
• Spot weld (noun): The individual joint created by the process.
  • Each spot weld must be inspected for quality.
• Resistance welding (noun): The broader category of welding processes that includes spot welding.

Synonyms

• Resistance spot welding: The formal technical synonym.
• Point welding: A less common term with a similar meaning.

Notes on Meaning

The term specifically refers to the process of creating welds at isolated points. It is distinct from other welding methods like seam welding (which creates a continuous joint) or arc welding (which uses a different heat source). The core idea is creating a joint through overlapping points, not a continuous seam.

Noun

1. creating an overlapping joint by welding at small points