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Percussion Welder

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October 5, 2025 · 5 min read · Materials

Dissimilar Thinking • Episode 4

Application Engineering

Your Industry-Specific Guide to Production-Ready Percussion Welding

📚 Series Recap: Ep1: Breaking Rules • Ep2: Material Matrix • Ep3: Inside the Arc

"This looks great in the lab. But will it pass FDA validation?"

That's the question every engineering manager asks when evaluating a new manufacturing process. And it's the right question—because the gap between "cool technology" and "production-qualified process" is where most innovations go to die.

We've spent three episodes explaining how percussion welding works. Now it's time to talk about where it works—and more importantly, how to make it work in YOUR specific industry.

Because here's the reality: A medical device engineer and an automotive production manager care about completely different things.

What This Episode Covers:

  • Medical Devices
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Electronics
  • Defense
  • Advanced Electrical
↓Next: Choose Your Industry:

Chapter 02 / 09

Medical Devices

When human lives depend on your welds, "pretty good" isn't good enough. Medical device manufacturing demands the highest levels of reliability, cleanliness, biocompatibility, and documentation.

Primary Medical Applications

Implantable Device Leads

Pacemaker electrodes, neurostimulator connections, cochlear implant wiring

Critical requirement: Biocompatible materials, fatigue resistance

Surgical Instruments

Endoscopic tool connections, robotic surgery components, minimally invasive device assemblies

Critical requirement: Sterilization compatibility, no crevices for contamination

Diagnostic Sensors

Blood glucose sensor electrodes, temperature probes, pressure transducers

Critical requirement: Electrical stability, body fluid resistance, minimal HAZ to preserve sensor characteristics

Medical Device Pre-Production Checklist

☐ Material biocompatibility certificates obtained ☐ Process FMEA completed ☐ IQ/OQ/PQ protocols written and approved ☐ Operator training program developed ☐ Destructive test methods validated ☐ Statistical process control (SPC) plan established ☐ Traceability system implemented (serial numbers/lot codes) ☐ Maintenance and calibration schedule created

↓Next: Automotive

Want to see it on your parts?

Send samples and we'll run test welds before you commit.

Tell us your weld challenge →

Chapter 03 / 09

Automotive

Automotive manufacturing is all about volume and speed.

Primary Automotive Applications

Temperature Sensors

Type K thermocouples (Chromel-Alumel), exhaust gas temperature sensors, coolant temp sensors

Battery Assembly

Aluminum-to-copper tabs for EV batteries, battery management system connections

Lighting Components

LED connection leads, headlight bulb assemblies, adaptive lighting actuators

ADAS Sensor Components

Radar sensor connections, camera module assemblies, LiDAR component joining

Requirement: Electrical stability, EMI resistance

↓Next: Aerospace

Chapter 04 / 09

Aerospace

Percussion welding is used in aerospace applications. Ask us about your specific requirement.

↓Next: Evaluating Percussion Welding for Your Application

Chapter 05 / 09

Evaluating Percussion Welding for Your Application

Schedule Application Engineering Consultation

Bring your specifications and we can run test samples on your materials.

Previous Episode

Up Next

Episode 5: Process Optimization & Production Scale-Up →

About Percussion Welder

Led by Collin Eidsness, MTI MicroWelding designs, manufactures and supports percussion welding equipment.

↓Next: Electronics Manufacturing

Want to see it on your parts?

Send samples and we'll run test welds before you commit.

Tell us your weld challenge →

Chapter 06 / 09

Electronics Manufacturing

Electronics manufacturing demands precision at micro-scale, thermal sensitivity for delicate components, and reliability over millions of cycles. Percussion welding's minimal heat input and sub-3-millisecond process times make it particularly well-suited for applications where traditional welding would damage surrounding electronics.

Primary Electronics Applications

Sensor Assemblies

Temperature sensors, pressure transducers, flow meters, position sensors

Battery Contacts & Terminals

Lithium battery tab welding, battery management system connections, power distribution terminals

Thermal Sensitivity Considerations

Percussion welding has a minimal heat-affected zone, but electronics may still contain components that can be damaged by heat.

⚠️ When NOT to Use Percussion Welding

While percussion welding has minimal thermal impact, it's not suitable for every electronics application. Avoid percussion welding when:

  • Working with extremely fragile substrates (thin glass, brittle ceramics) where mechanical impact could cause damage
  • Joining materials where even minimal heat input could cause problems (some adhesive-bonded assemblies, low-melting-point solder joints nearby)
  • Applications requiring wire bonding-level precision

For guidance on your specific application, contact our application engineering team.

↓Next: Defense & Military

Chapter 07 / 09

Defense & Military

Defense applications demand reliability in the harshest environments, from desert heat to arctic cold, from high G-forces to electromagnetic pulses.

⚠️ Important Note on Defense Applications

This section provides general information about percussion welding in defense manufacturing. Specific military specifications, ITAR-controlled applications, and classified programs require specialized compliance support. We recommend working with your program's manufacturing engineering team and quality representatives to ensure all requirements are met. We can provide technical support for the welding process itself, but cannot provide guidance on program-specific military specifications or security requirements.

Common Defense Applications

Communication Systems

RF antenna connections, encrypted radio components, field-replaceable connectors

Typical requirement: Resistance to shock, vibration, temperature extremes, EMI hardening

Vehicle & Platform Electronics

Sensor systems, power distribution, battery management for military vehicles and aircraft

Power & Energy Systems

Battery assemblies, power converters, energy storage connections

Advantage: High conductivity joints, vibration resistance, no consumables to manage in field environments

Working with Defense Programs

If you're considering percussion welding for a defense application:

  1. Start with your program requirements — We can help you understand how percussion welding aligns with your specifications, but you'll need to validate compliance with your quality team.
  2. Run qualification samples early — We can provide test welds using your materials and proposed parameters.
  3. Plan for documentation needs — We can support with process documentation, but program-specific qualification plans should be developed with your team.
  4. Consider security requirements — For ITAR-controlled or classified programs, discuss any special requirements upfront.

We're here to support the welding process; your manufacturing engineering and quality teams are the experts on program requirements.

↓Next: Advanced Electrical Components

Chapter 08 / 09

Advanced Electrical Components

When electrical conductivity and resistance are critical specifications, percussion welding is a good candidate: it uses no filler, flux or solder, and the joint has low electrical resistance.

Primary Electrical Applications

Bus Bar Assemblies

Power distribution, switchgear connections, high-current pathways

Typical materials: Copper-to-copper, Aluminum-to-copper, Silver-plated copper

Electrical Contacts

Relay contacts, switch assemblies, circuit breaker components

Typical materials: Tungsten-to-copper

Requirement: Arc resistance, wear resistance, low and stable contact resistance

Grounding & Bonding

Grounding straps, EMI shielding connections, chassis bonds

Precision Instruments

Lab equipment connections, measurement device assemblies, calibration standards

Requirement: Dimensional stability, predictable resistance, minimal thermal drift

Getting Started with Electrical Applications

If you're evaluating percussion welding for electrical components:

1 Define your electrical requirements Maximum resistance, current capacity, voltage withstand, environmental conditions 2 Send us samples We'll run test welds on your materials 3 Validate in your application Test weld samples in your assembly, measure performance under operating conditions 4 Scale to production Once validated, move to production

↓Next: Test Your Application

Want to see it on your parts?

Send samples and we'll run test welds before you commit.

Tell us your weld challenge →

Chapter 09 / 09

Test Your Application

Bring us your materials, your specs, your toughest requirements. We'll show you what percussion welding can do. Then YOU can decide if it's the right solution to qualify for your production.

What You'll Get (No Charge):

✓ Test welds on YOUR materials
✓ Waveform data & parameters
✓ Samples for YOUR testing ✓ Technical specs documentation
✓ Honest assessment of fit
✓ Direct access to Collin

We sell welding equipment and provide technical support. You own your qualification process. Let's work together.

FAQ

What is percussion welding?

A heat-plus-impact process for joining metals.

An electric arc supplies the heat, then a rapid mechanical movement forces the two materials together, forming a full metallic bond with no filler.

Do I need filler metal, solder or flux?

No. There's no filler, solder or flux, and no electrodes to wear out.

That means cleaner joints, less waste, and no consumables to buy.

How do I know if my materials can be welded?

Start with the Parameter Finder or the weld schedules table.

If your pair isn't listed, tell us your weld challenge. We'll reply with a straight answer about whether percussion welding is a fit, and how.

Still have a question? Tell us your weld challenge and an engineer will reply.

Start here

Share what you're joining and what's going wrong. We'll tell you straight whether percussion welding is a fit.

Prefer to talk? Book a demo or call 303-536-7838

Tell us your weld challenge →