Method of welding galvanized steel components
A method of welding first and second metallic components together includes the initial step of comprising the steps of providing a first metallic component including a surface having a galvanic coating provided thereon and providing a second metallic component including a surface. A material is sprayed onto at least a portion of either the galvanic coating provided on the surface of the first metallic component or the surface of the second metallic component. The surfaces of the first and second metallic components are disposed in an overlapping relationship, and a welding process is performed to weld the first and second metallic components together. The sprayed material reacts with the galvanic coating during the welding process minimize the vaporization of the galvanic coating and, thus, adversely affect the quality of the weld.
1 . A method of welding first and second metallic components together comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a first metallic component including a surface having a coating provided thereon;
(b) providing a second metallic component including a surface;
(c) spraying a material onto at least a portion of either (1) the coating provided on the surface of the first metallic component or (2) the surface of the second metallic component;
(d) disposing the surfaces of the first and second metallic components in an overlapping relationship; and
(e) performing a welding process to weld the first and second metallic components together such that the sprayed material reacts with the coating during the welding process.
2 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (a) is performed by providing the first metallic component with a galvanic coating.
3 . The method defined in claim 2 wherein said step (a) is performed by providing the first metallic component with a coating formed from zinc or an alloy thereof.
4 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (a) is performed by forming the first metallic component from a steel alloy material.
5 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (b) is performed by forming the second metallic component from a steel alloy material.
6 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (c) is performed by spraying a material onto at least a portion of the coating provided on the surface of the first metallic component.
7 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (c) is performed by spraying a material onto at least a portion of the surface of the second metallic component.
8 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (c) is performed by spraying a material that will alloy with the coating during the welding process.
9 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (a) is performed by providing the first metallic component with a coating formed from zinc or an alloy thereof, and wherein said step (c) is performed by spraying copper or nickel or an alloy thereof onto at least a portion of either (1) the coating provided on the surface of the first metallic component or (2) the surface of the second metallic component.
10 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (c) is performed by spraying a material in liquid form.
11 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (c) is performed by spraying a material in powdered form.
12 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (c) is performed by spraying a material in particulate form.
13 . The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (e) is performed by performing a high energy density radiation beam welding process.
14 . The method defined in claim 13 wherein said step (e) is performed by performing a laser welding process.
15 . The method defined in claim 13 wherein said step (e) is performed by performing an electron beam welding process.