Gap Electrodes

Advanced Integrated Technologies ( AIT ) is the world’s leading manufacturer of parallel gap electrodes for all makes of welders including Sunstone Engineering , Unitek, Palomar/Hughes, Avio, and MacGregor. We began building the duo tip style of parallel gap electrodes for Hughes Aircraft Industrial Products Division over twenty years ago. Since those early days, our product line has expanded to designs covering all major applications for micro gap welding. If you have an application requiring parallel gap electrodes, contact us today to see how Advanced Integrated Technologies ( AIT ) can help you. We offer high quality electrodes at very affordable prices.

Parallel gap electrodes are built in two halves, typically oriented in left and right positions in the electrode holder. Depending on the customer requirements, the two halves can either be free, or bonded together with a thin adhesive insulator. Some welders are designed with an electrode holder that can set the distance (gap) between the two halves of the electrode. This type uses the free floating gap electrodes. Other welder designs have a holder that requires the two halves to be bonded together, in which case the width of the gap is determined by the width of the insulator between the two halves.

When welding with parallel gap electrodes, both electrode halves approach the work-piece from the same direction. These techniques are especially useful where the opposite side of one of the pieces being welded has an insulated layer. The gap electrode arrangement in a series configuration allows weld current to flow down one electrode, through both materials and up the other electrode. With the step weld, one electrode touches each material and the current all flows across the material interface.

Several brands of welders are capable of using parallel gap electrodes. Sunstone Engineering is a new player in the industry with a very excellent design allowing extremely accurate force setting. Sunstone is an American made welder that can be purchased for much less than the other major brands. Miyachi Unitek has long been one of the big players in the micro welding scene. Their equipment is very good, though not the most economical. Other brands of welders include Avio, MacGregor, and Palomar Hughes. If you have an application for gap electrodes, contact us today for a quote.