Stud welding method and apparatus

Stud welding method for welding a component (12) to a surface (16) of a workpiece (14), comprising the steps of: lowering the component (12) onto the surface (16) of the workpiece (14) and switching on an electric current (I); lifting the component (12) off the workpiece (14), with the result that an arc (24) which is oriented substantially in the longitudinal direction (21) is struck; influencing the arc (24) using a magnetic field (27), with the magnetic field (27) being oriented at a general magnetic field angle (28) in relation to the longitudinal direction (21) and having an axial component (BA) and/or a radial component (BR); and lowering the component (12) onto the workpiece (14) in order to establish the weld connection; wherein the magnetic field angle (28) is varied over the arc duration in order to dynamically influence the arc (24) by the mathematical sign of the radial and/or of the axial component (BR, BA) being changed at least once over the arc duration. (Fig. 1)