Sahand Azad, Julian Zhang, Ian Lam, Hussein Abdo
This group designed a fully integrated handheld portable spot welder. A spot welder joins together two contacting metal surfaces by using heat obtained from resistance to electrical current; this process normally requires a significant amount of AC power. However, this group has optimized this process using DC current, making the device portable. Using a small DC battery and an Arduino microcontroller, the welder is able to send pulses of current through two copper electrodes to weld thin pieces of metal together. The unit is small enough to use with one hand and the timing of the electric pulse can be adjusted depending on the application. The uses of such a device are far reaching since portability has always been an issue with welders. Whether it be for emergency purposes, on-the road applications, or situations with low maneuverability, a portable spot welder has plenty of real-life application and potential.