Abstract: | Abstract Flash welding, through conferring a number of important advantages, such as high productivity, good-quality welds, and suitability for welding of components with large cross-sections, is extensively used for shop welding of rails, plating of hot coils, welding of wheel rims, etc.1–3 More compact welding facilities are also being sought through further exploitation of mechanical control technology for practical applications in job-site welding of rails, H-steel sections, etc.4 |