Share of spot welding and other joining methods in automotive production

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Share of spot welding and other joining methods in automotive production

Janota, M. / Neumann, H.

A brief survey is given about the welding and/or joining methods which are used in reality of the automotive industries of both Slovakia and Czech Republic with respect to their approximate relative extent of use. It was shown that among the joining methods used in automotive production resistance spot welding prevails to a large degree. In case of the classical passenger cars its share amounts around 80% of all the welding/brazing techniques, in vehicles of the SUV class it is around 55% when all the welding done by the external suppliers is also included. Although some examples of laser applications (Golf V in Dresden) and potential advantages are stated, the current situation in the industrial practice of the automotive manufacturers in the region shows a different picture. At VW in Bratislava the share of laser methods, which changed from 1.6 to 14% in the past, has recently decreased to 5.5% at the Q7 and the shares in Skoda are in the most cases even lesser. Generally, judging from the practice shown in the above tables and supported by some unofficial information from the other car manufacturers in the region (those are all new factories equipped by up-to-date technology), the massive laser application has not materialised yet and the authors are rather sceptical if this is going to take part in the future. Instead of laser welding the use of the methods of cold joining - adhesive bonding and mechanical joining - are growing quite fast.