Westermans International is taking over the agency for PEI resistance welding products from Sureweld, starting end of January 2024.
Richard Papworth, Sureweld owner of over 40 years is retiring, and the business will be closing its doors. Westermans International has been Sureweld's authorised re-sale partner for the last 35 years, and has a wealth of expertise supplying PEI welding equipment.
Thanks to the vast experience, shared values, and excellent relationship between the two, they have agreed for Westermans International to take over the PEI agency for resistance welding equipment in the UK and Ireland. Going forward, Westermans International will supply resistance welders directly and provide support to past and future clients. All customers will have backup and service from Westermans International, PEI, and experienced Sureweld technicians, ensuring a smooth transition for previous Sureweld customers.
Craig Westerman, Sales Director, said that taking over the PEI agency was an easy decision. "We are very familiar with their machines, share the same values, and have trust in PEl's ability to deliver exceptional quality resistance welding equipment. It's great to work directly with such a strong European manufacturer".
Westermans International is located in Groby, Leicestershire, UK, with a 30,000 sq. ft facility of modern offices, warehouses, and workshops. It is a family-owned and run business with a dedicated team of experts in the welding industry. Westermans International buys, sells, and rents new and used welding equipment, including welding and cutting power sources, positioners, fume extractors, and specialised welding gear.
PEI-Point SRL is a renowned Italian manufacturer with a long history in the international market. Westermans International has sold PEI equipment for over three decades and have witnessed first-hand the value PEl's machines bring to small and large shops and manufacturers.
PEI is a proven, reliable brand with high standards and strong company values, like sourcing most of their resources locally.
Westermans International is looking forward to supplying automotive, appliance, aerospace, and manufacturing industries in the UK and Ireland. They believe that every resistance welding machine delivered to a small shop or a large production facility improves productivity, makes the job easier, and helps businesses meet goals and serve their local or global clients and communities.
Resistance Welding Equipment
Resistance welding plays a significant role in the production of many everyday items. The best example is the automotive industry, where resistance welding equipment is used to fuse auto body parts during the production process and repairs.
This welding method uses the resistance of the current flow through the base metals to heat, melt, and fuse the two metal parts under the pressure applied by the electrodes. The three primary types of resistance welding are spot, seam, and projection resistance welding.
Spot welding equipment
Spot welding machines create circular welds between or on overlapping sheet metal. There are several spot welding machine types:
- Rocker arm spot welders are free-standing machines and have electrodes with a large reach. The arm depth is adjustable, and the electrodes can rotate to weld at an angle. They are designed for versatile applications like fabrication or large part repairs.
- Linear action spot welders are designed to apply pressure in a straight line, unlike rocker arm welders with a pivoting arm.
- Bench-top spot welders are designed for smaller shops and table-top welding, especially if the operator is seated during use.
- Suspended spot welders are movable with a built-in transformer and can weld workpieces too large for handling. They can also be complemented with balancers and watercoolers to suit various industrial needs.
- Hand-held light-duty spot welders are ideal for auto body repairs where the size and manoeuvrability of a spot welder are vital.
- Fastspotter single-sided spot welder is a unique solution for jobs where it's impractical or impossible to access the workpiece from both sides. For example, PEl's Fastspotter can spot or seam weld the joint from one side only.
- Single-side twin spot welders create two spot welds from a single side. They can also be grouped in a multi-single-sided spot welding configuration for higher productivity. Twin spot welders can be suspended from a gantry or boom for applications where the parts are too large for handling.
Pedal vs. Pneumatic Spot Welding Machines
Some pillar spot welding machines use a mechanical foot pedal that works like a treadle-type machine. Pedal-operated spot welders like the PEI BSM 221 allow manual clamping force application. So, the higher the applied pressure to the pedal, the more force is transferred to the electrodes.
Pneumatic spot welding machines like the PEI BSP 226 use electro-pneumatic control to apply precise pressure as defined by the air pressure control unit.
Projection Welding Equipment
Projection welding machines are similar to spot welders but don't produce the same result. With projection welding, the workpiece has "projections" formed during the production process, and these projections are used as points for weld localisation. So, when the welding machine's electrodes clamp the parts, the prefabricated projections on the workpiece are where the current concentrates and creates welds.
PEI manufactures dedicated single-phase AC or three-phase MFDC projection welders, but some of their spot welders dual as spot/projection welding machines.
Seam Welding Equipment
Seam welders have the same working principle as spot/projection welders but produce continuous welds instead of welds in one spot. Seam welders have circular electrodes to ensure constant contact between the electrodes and the workpiece. The sheet metal is fed between the wheel electrodes, which apply pressure and electricity, melting and fusing the two metals with a seam joint.
PEI seam welders can be longitudinal or transversal. Longitudinal seam welders can weld with the material coming out of the machine or going into it. Transversal seam welders have the advantage of the material passing on the sides of the machine, allowing for more working space.
Resistance Welding Applications
Resistance welding applications are all around us. The car you drive, appliances in your kitchen, furniture in your living room, machines and equipment in production, hospitals, warehouses, and stores. Likewise, aerospace, defence, transportation and shipbuilding rely on resistance welding when an economical, fast, and efficient method of joining thin metal sheets is required.
Resistance welding can be applied to almost all metals, including high-strength and ultra-high-strength steel, stainless steel, aluminium, magnesium, titanium, nickel, and copper. This is the most widely applied joining method for thin metal sheets. It's more economical and faster than riveting, mechanical fastening, and screwing. So, whenever the disassembly for maintenance isn't required, or it makes more economic sense, resistance welding is a better option than other metal joining methods.
About Westermans
Westermans International offers welding brands and equipment for all welding needs. The PEI agency addition will help it supply high quality resistance welding equipment from a reliable manufacturer with exceptional standards. It is proud to continue providing PEI-Point SRL welders to all UK and Ireland customers and maintaining support for all past and future customers.