Changes

For contacts used at higher temperatures, such as for example in controls forstove tops, the use of contact rivets or the direct welding of silver based contactmaterials on steel or thermo-bimetal carriers is usually not feasible. For suchapplications weld buttons are suitable contact components.

Weld buttons are round or rectangular tips manufactured from clad contact bimetalor in some cases tri-metal semi-finished materials. The surface layer isproduced from the specified contact material, the bottom weldable layer from amaterial with higher electrical resistivity such as steel, nickel, or for example acopper-nickel alloy. For precious metal savings a third high conductive layer ofcopper may be inserted between the contact material and weld backing. Toimprove the welding process the underside often has an embossed pattern withone or more weld projections.

The manufacturing of weld buttons from bi– or tri–metal strip requires a ductilecontact material. Weld buttons with tungsten contact layers are thereforeproduced by brazing of tungsten discs to a weldable pre-formed base.