Chrysler refrigerated spot-weld electrode cooling proposal (mid-1980s)

A vendor offered Chrysler a $50M chilled-water refrigeration system to extend electrode life. Tom did the Fourier-number calculation, showed cooling during the 1/3-second weld is irrelevant, and identified condensation as a secondary disqualifier. Won a $55K research contract to formally demonstrate this (used a 55-gallon trash can full of ice water).

Ford had a spec of 2,000 welds. When they first started using galvanized steel they were getting 100 or 200 welds before the tips wore out. That's why I said you have to put two or three thousand spot welds in an average automobile — because you need 2,000 good ones and they're making a lot of bad ones. Some of these cars go through an accident and just unzip like a piece of paper on these spot welds. So someone came in and told Chrysler in the mid-1980s, for only fifty million dollars we will sell you a refrigeration unit that will chill the water in your copper tips, and it will improve your electrode life. No data — just, obviously if you chill the tips you're going to keep them from getting this hot.