Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Paul A Wheeler

John F McKeon

Randolph Kwok-Kin Chiu

Marty J Zabcik

A method of welding a noble metal tip to a spark plug center electrode comprises the steps of placing a plurality of spark plug center electrodes into a plurality of carriers so that each carrier carries one spark plug center electrode, one by one moving each carrier into a weld station, lifting the one spark plug center electrode carried in the carrier located in the weld station out of the carrier into a weld position, clamping the one spark plug center into the weld position with a single clamp located in the weld station, and welding the noble metal tip to the one spark plug center electrode, wherein the single clamp eliminates clamp-to-clamp process variations.

Spark plug electrode welding system

Apparatus and method for welding a platinum wire to a ground electrode of a spark plug to form a contact pad of platinum material that is welded to the ground electrode. The ground electrode is attached to and extends from a metallic spark plug shell. The apparatus includes a pivotally mounted nest for receiving and supporting the spark plug shell. A movable welding electrode can be moved into engagement with a lower surface of the ground electrode. The welding electrode has a spherical end surface that engages the ground electrode. The apparatus has opposed gripping fingers that can be moved toward or away from each other. The gripping fingers each have an inclined surface. When the gripping fingers are moved toward each other their inclined surfaces engage the ground electrode to force it into tight engagement with the spherical end surface of the welding electrode. A source of welding current is connected to the wire and to the welding electrode to weld an end portion of the wire to the ground electrode. The wire may have a diameter of about 0.5 mm and the welded pad may be as large as 1.0 mm.

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Linden, MI, United States of America

Paul A Wheeler