Cannot loosen or corrode
Required for certified LPS systems
British standard certified
Lifetime performance, no re-torquing
Self-contained — works anywhere
Primary Earth Electrode System
The Physical Foundation of Every Earthing System
The earthing system is only as reliable as its weakest connection. Every conductor joint, every rod-to-tape connection, and every bonding termination in the network is a potential failure point — and in Malaysia’s tropical underground environment, that failure can happen faster than most engineers expect.
Mechanical compression clamps, bolted lugs, and crimped ferrules all share the same fundamental weakness: they create a metal-to-metal mechanical interface that corrodes, loosens under thermal cycling, and develops increasing contact resistance over time. A joint that tested at 0.01 Ω at commissioning may present 1 Ω or more after five years underground in Malaysian soil — at which point the earthing system fails to perform, SPDs malfunction, and the facility is exposed.
TOKAIWELD exothermic welding eliminates this failure mode entirely. The thermite reaction produces a molten copper weld that fuses the conductors at a molecular level — creating a homogeneous copper joint with no interface, no corrosion path, no mechanical stress, and current-carrying capacity equal to or greater than the conductor itself.
TOKAIWELD process — graphite mould exothermic reaction
Performance Comparison
TOKAIWELD Exothermic vs Mechanical Clamps
MS IEC 62305 and BS EN 62305-2006 require permanent connections for all buried joints in certified lightning protection earthing systems. Here is why exothermic welding is the only solution that meets this requirement long-term.
Property
TOKAIWELD Exothermic Weld
Mechanical Clamp / Bolted
Bond nature
Current capacity
Resistance stability
Corrosion resistance
Mechanical loosening
Maintenance required
MS IEC 62305 compliance
Suitable for tropical underground (Malaysia)
External power required
How It Works
The TOKAIWELD Installation Process
Each TOKAIWELD joint is completed in under three minutes by trained personnel — no external power, no complex tools, and fully auditable by visual inspection and resistance measurement.
Prepare Conductors
Conductor surfaces are cleaned and degreased. Conductor ends are trimmed to correct geometry for the mould type. Any oxide layer is removed.
Position in Graphite Mould
Conductors are positioned in the correct mould cavity for the joint type — tape-to-tape, tape-to-rod, or conductor-to-rebar. Mould is clamped and sealed.
Thermite Reaction
TOKAIWELD charge (aluminium oxide + copper oxide) is placed in the mould crucible. The igniter is triggered. The exothermic reaction produces molten copper at ~1,083°C.
Inspect & Verify
Mould is removed after cooling. Joint is inspected visually for completeness. Resistance measurement confirms the weld achieves specification. Joint is backfilled.
<3
Minutes Per Joint
∞
Service Life
0
Maintenance Events
100%
Conductivity Retention
Weld Joint Applications
TOKAIWELD Connector Combinations
Tokai Engineering maintains a full range of graphite moulds covering every standard connection type used in earthing and lightning protection installations across Malaysia.
T-junction, cross-junction, and in-line connections for earth mat grid nodes — the primary connection type in any earth mat system.
Tape-to-rod connection at every earth rod head. Critical for ensuring the horizontal mat and vertical rods form a single continuous electrode.
Down conductor bonding to earth mat. Connects the above-ground lightning protection system to the buried electrode network.
Foundation earthing and column bonding connections. Used where structural steel members must be incorporated into the equipotential bonding system.
Foundation earth grid to reinforcement connections. Integrates the building's rebar network as part of the IEC 62305-4 equipotential earthing system.
Substation earthing connections per IEEE 80. High fault current applications where low resistance and long-term stability are critical safety requirements.
Technical Specifications
TOKAIWELD System Technical Data
|
Parameter |
Specification |
Standard |
|---|---|---|
|
Reaction temperature |
Approximately 1,083°C (copper melting point) |
Metallurgical |
|
Joint type |
Molecular fusion — solid copper weld |
MS IEC 62305 |
|
Current-carrying capacity |
Equal to or greater than connected conductors |
IEC 62305-3 |
|
Contact resistance |
Lower than equivalent conductor section |
IEEE 837 |
|
Applicable conductors |
Copper tape (all sizes), copper-bonded rod, stranded conductor, steel flat bar, rebar |
MS IEC 62305 |
|
Power source |
None — self-contained exothermic reaction ignited by friction or flint igniter |
- |
|
Standard compliance |
MS IEC 62305; BS EN 62305-2006; IEEE 837 (Qualifying Permanent Connections) |
Multi-standard |
|
Mould material |
High-temperature graphite — reusable |
- |
|
Service life |
Permanent — equal to facility design life |
- |
What is exothermic welding and how does it work?
Exothermic welding uses the heat produced by a thermite chemical reaction — typically aluminium oxide reducing copper oxide — to generate molten copper that flows into and fuses the conductors within a precision graphite mould. The resulting joint is a solid copper weld: no interface, no mechanical stress, no corrosion pathway. The process requires no external power source and is completed in under three minutes per joint.
Why are mechanical clamps not acceptable for buried earthing joints in Malaysia?
MS IEC 62305 and BS EN 62305-2006 explicitly require that all buried connections in certified lightning protection earthing systems be permanently bonded. Mechanical clamps are not acceptable for buried joints because in Malaysia’s tropical underground environment — characterised by year-round moisture, seasonal saturation, and chemically active soils — they corrode at the bi-metallic interface, loosen under repeated thermal cycling, and develop increasing resistance. A joint that passed commissioning testing may fail within three to five years without the installer’s knowledge.
Does TOKAIWELD work on structural steel and rebar?
Yes. Tokai Engineering maintains graphite moulds for copper-to-steel and copper-to-rebar connections, used for foundation earthing and structural bonding as required by IEC 62305-4. These connections integrate the building’s structural steel frame and foundation reinforcement into the equipotential bonding system — a mandatory requirement for data centres and critical infrastructure under the standard.
How is a TOKAIWELD joint inspected and verified after installation?
Each joint is inspected visually for complete fill — the weld should completely encapsulate the conductor ends with no voids or incomplete fusion. Low-resistance measurement confirms the joint resistance is below the conductor baseline. Tokai Engineering documents all joint inspections as part of the commissioning test record, which is included in the final compliance report issued to the client, ST, or JKR.
Complete Protection
Related Services
Permanent Protection
Specify TOKAIWELD for Your Project
Tokai Engineering supplies and installs TOKAIWELD exothermic welding systems for earthing and lightning protection projects across Malaysia. Supply-only and install-and-supply packages available.