Joining characteristics of beta-titanium wires with electrical resistance welding.

The goal of this research was to investigate the effects of different conditions for electrical resistance welding of beta-titanium orthodontic wires. Three electrode types were used with a range of power settings on an electrical resistance welding machine to join beta-titanium wires (Resolve, GAC International). Forces that caused bond failures for joined specimens were obtained with tensile loading, and the values were compared using one-way ANOVA and the Tukey test (alpha = 0.05). Metallurgical phases in the joint region were determined by micro-X-ray diffraction. Mean tensile forces for bond failure ranged from 5 to 20 kgf for the eight specimen groups and were dependent on electrode type and power setting. All X-ray diffraction peaks in the joint region were indexed to beta-titanium. Superior bond strength was achieved with the use of wide electrodes. The absence of phases other than beta-titanium in the joint area suggests that the electrical resistance welding may not adversely affect clinically important mechanical properties. Scanning microscope observations indicated that the localized permanent deformation and the formation of an undesirable equiaxed grain structure occurred with the use of narrow electrodes. Copyright 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.