Apparatus (50; 50A) for a welding control, comprising a determination module for determining at least one welding tool parameter (A B, M_B) which depends on a driving of the welding tool relative to the at least one component (5, 6) during a welding procedure using the welding tool, the welding tool being a resistance welding tool designed as an electrode holder with two electrodes (22, 23), and a force value generation module for generating, from a welding tool parameter (A B, M_B) determined by the determination module, an actual force (F S (t); F S_ACT) that arises during the welding procedure using the welding tool, wherein the at least one welding tool parameter is a welding tool arm bend (A B) which is a function of the actual position (L ACT) of the at least one electrode (22, 23) of the welding tool, and/or wherein the at least one welding tool parameter is an acceleration torque (M_B) of the at least one electrode (22, 23) of the welding tool and the acceleration torque (M_B) is a function of the actual rotational speed (n_ ACT) of the drive device for driving the at least one electrode (22, 23) of the welding tool, wherein the force value generation module is designed to generate the actual force (F S (t); F S_ACT) using a model of the welding tool, wherein the model models the welding tool as a spring (211, 212, 213) and has at least one spring parameter (k_E, Tt) defining the spring (211, 212, 213), and wherein the force value generation module is designed, for the purpose of generating the actual force (F S (t); F S_ACT), to give due consideration to a change in the force (F S (t); F S_ACT) which arises during a welding procedure with the welding tool as a result of errors within the determination of the time-varying actual position (L ACT) of at least one of the electrodes (22, 23) during the welding procedure. a determination module for determining at least one welding tool parameter (A B, M_B) which depends on a driving of the welding tool relative to the at least one component (5, 6) during a welding procedure using the welding tool, the welding tool being a resistance welding tool designed as an electrode holder with two electrodes (22, 23), and a force value generation module for generating, from a welding tool parameter (A B, M_B) determined by the determination module, an actual force (F S (t); F S_ACT) that arises during the welding procedure using the welding tool, wherein the at least one welding tool parameter is a welding tool arm bend (A B) which is a function of the actual position (L ACT) of the at least one electrode (22, 23) of the welding tool, and/or wherein the at least one welding tool parameter is an acceleration torque (M_B) of the at least one electrode (22, 23) of the welding tool and the acceleration torque (M_B) is a function of the actual rotational speed (n_ ACT) of the drive device for driving the at least one electrode (22, 23) of the welding tool, wherein the force value generation module is designed to generate the actual force (F S (t); F S_ACT) using a model of the welding tool, wherein the model models the welding tool as a spring (211, 212, 213) and has at least one spring parameter (k_E, Tt) defining the spring (211, 212, 213), and wherein the force value generation module is designed, for the purpose of generating the actual force (F S (t); F S_ACT), to give due consideration to a change in the force (F S (t); F S_ACT) which arises during a welding procedure with the welding tool as a result of errors within the determination of the time-varying actual position (L ACT) of at least one of the electrodes (22, 23) during the welding procedure.