HOMOPOLAR PULSE RESISTANCE WELDING OF RAILS AND VEHICLE COMPONENTS

Results of research carried out on three tasks is described. The primary task, the homopolar resistance butt welding of railroad rails, was performed to: (1) prove the technical feasibility of welding rails using the homopolar pulse resistance welding process (HPRW); (2) estimate the cost of producing in-track welds using the HPRW process; and (3) develop a design for a commercial in-track HPRW system. It was found that welds having 100 percent efficiency could be produced by the process. The second task was selected by the Ford Motor Company and the third by General Motors. The objectives of the Ford task included: (1) proving the technical feasibility of making mash-lap seam welds in typical drawn sheet metal industrial piece parts using the HPRW process; and (2) estimating the cost of producing HPRW seam welds. The objectives of the General Motors task were similar; its application was the attachment of the bolt flange to the steel pipe which constitutes a locomotive drive shaft.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Texas, Austin

  Cockrell Hall
  Austin, TX  United States  78712

  National Science Foundation

  1800 G Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20550
• Authors:
  • Aanstoos II, T A
  • Keith, R E
  • Weldon, W F
• Publication Date: 1982-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 122 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Butt welds; Feasibility analysis; Joints; Locomotives; Railroad rails; Welding; Welds
• Uncontrolled Terms: Welded joints
• Old TRIS Terms: Rail welding; Resistance welding
• Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00377775
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: NSF/ISI-82001 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: NSF-ISP80-05918
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Oct 30 1983 12:00AM