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Cold welding is a joining process in which two elements are combined into one by means of intense pressure applied by dies and rollers. As its name implies, this technique does not rely on heat to change the state of the items being lit; These substances remain in a solid state throughout the procedure. Not all metals are ideal candidates for cold welding due to the oxygen content within their outer layers, and even after extensive brushing and cleaning, metals will not join if one of them is not malleable. Also, if the two joined parts are subsequently exposed to an environment rich in oxygen or certain other reactive compounds, the cold weld will fail. Due to these limitations, the cold welding process is more suitable for objects that will be deployed outside of the Earth’s atmosphere, such as satellites or spacecraft.
Cold welding was first discovered by modern societies in the early 1940s and was considered a new phenomenon, but this process has been around for thousands of years. It has been learned that two pieces of similar metal will fit together in a vacuum, provided they have clean, flat surfaces and a strong initial force can be applied. During the process, deformities occur in 60 to 80% of the joint surface, and this allows pure and clean metals to come into contact. Permanent bonding then takes place at the atomic level, with much stronger welds than could be achieved by other means. Another advantage is that absolutely no intermediate material is used as a type of solder, so as long as the oxides cannot reform on the metal surface, it should last for decades.
Since the early period of discovery, researchers have shown that cold welding can also be done without excessive force. By applying less pressure over a longer period of time, similar results can be achieved. Another method is to increase the surface temperature of the two materials being joined for a short period of time to speed up the molecules.
Modern uses for cold welding are numerous, but it is definitely still considered a situational process due to the aforementioned limitations. However, the technique makes it possible to work in many harsh environments that were previously impossible, such as welding underground pipes carrying flammable gases. Another drawback is that because welding occurs quickly and is considered permanent, it is very difficult to verify the integrity of the weld, particularly on thicker metals.