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Raytron Technical Review RESEARCH ARTICLE WP-06-06

Stainless Steel Clad Copper: Welding Electrode Applications

RAYTRON Technical Team1

1RAYTRON Group, China

Published: March 2026 Version: 1.0
DOI: 10.1000/raytron.WP-06-06

1. Introduction

1.1 Inverted Structure

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Figure fig1 Figure 1: Comparison of CCSS and SSCC structures showing inverted cladding
ConfigurationCoreCladding
CCSSSSCu
SSCCCuSS

1.2 Why Inverted for Welding

RequirementSolution
High temperatureSS surface
Wear resistanceSS hardness
Thermal conductivityCu core
Electrical conductivityCu core

2. Material Structure

2.1 Typical Configuration

ComponentMaterialFunction
CoreCopperHeat sinking, conductivity
CladdingSS 304/316Wear surface, strength

2.2 Properties

PropertySSCC
Surface hardness150-200 HV (SS)
Core conductivity100% IACS (Cu)
Thermal conductivityHigh (Cu core)

2.3 Advantage over Alternatives

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Figure fig2 Figure 2: Performance comparison of welding electrode materials
Electrode TypeWear LifeConductivity
Cu-Cr-ZrModerateHigh
W-CuHighModerate
SSCCHighHigh

3. Welding Electrode Requirements

3.1 Resistance Welding

ParameterRequirement
TemperatureUp to 600°C at tip
CurrentkA range
ForcekN range
Cycles10⁴-10⁶ welds

3.2 Key Properties

PropertyImportance
Electrical conductivityCurrent delivery
Thermal conductivityHeat dissipation
HardnessWear resistance
Softening temperatureHigh-temperature stability

3.3 Failure Modes

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Figure fig3 Figure 3: Common failure modes of resistance welding electrodes
ModeCause
MushroomingSoftening, deformation
WearAbrasion, erosion
StickingMaterial pickup

4. SSCC Performance

4.1 Conductivity

RegionSSCC
Core100% IACS
Overall80-90% IACS

4.2 Hardness Retention

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Figure fig4 Figure 4: Hardness retention at elevated temperatures
TemperatureCu-Cr-ZrSSCC
RT130 HV180 HV
300°C100 HV170 HV
500°C60 HV150 HV

4.3 Wear Life

ElectrodeWelds to Redress
Cu-Cr-Zr500-2000
W-Cu2000-10000
SSCC2000-5000

4.4 Cost Comparison

ElectrodeRelative CostLifeCost/Weld
Cu-Cr-Zr1.0LowModerate
W-Cu3.0HighModerate
SSCC1.5Moderate-HighLow

5. Applications

5.1 Spot Welding

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Video 1: SSCC electrode performance in spot welding operations
ApplicationSSCC Benefit
AutomotiveLonger life
Sheet metalGood conductivity
GalvanizedAnti-sticking

5.2 Projection Welding

ApplicationSSCC Suitability
Nuts/boltsGood
FastenersGood

5.3 Seam Welding

RequirementSSCC Performance
Continuous operationGood heat dissipation
WearSS surface resistant

6. Conclusion

6.1 Summary

AdvantageValue
ConductivityHigh (Cu core)
Wear resistanceHigh (SS surface)
High-temp stabilityGood
CostModerate

6.2 Positioning

SSCC offers a balance between:

  • Cu alloys (high conductivity, lower wear)
  • W-Cu (lower conductivity, higher wear)

7. References

  1. RWMA Bulletin 16. (2020). Resistance Welding Manual.
  2. AWS C1.1. (2019). Resistance Welding.
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