A correlation study of mechanical strength of resistance spot welding of AA5754 aluminium alloy

AA5754 aluminium alloy was resistance spot welded (RSW) to produce 27 different joint stack-ups with differing process parameters and corresponding weld quality. Quasi-static joint strength was evaluated for three test geometries; lap-shear, coach-peel and cross-tension. The results derived from over 1000 samples demonstrate various fundamental relationships. For lap-shear strength, a strong relationship with weld nugget diameter was observed; whilst discrete strength levels were found for coach-peel test geometry, depending on the governing metal thickness of the parent sheet for the various stack-ups. For cross-tension strength; there is a relationship with nugget diameter; but data are sensitive to nugget periphery defects. These fundamental relationships provide a set of generalised design guidelines for RSW of aluminium that will have significant relevance to manufacturing communities.     

Using incremental forming to calibrate a void nucleation model for automotive aluminum sheet alloys

A novel method for the quantification of void nucleation rates in sheet material is presented. An incremental sheet forming process is employed to create large regions of homogeneous deformation, such that material density changes can then be used to quantify the evolution of void volume fraction with applied strain. This technique is employed to calibrate the void nucleation behaviour of three automotive aluminum sheet alloys (AA5182, AA5754 and AA6111) for incorporation into finite element method models which employ the Gurson–Tvergaard–Needleman (GTN) constitutive softening equations.     

Effect of material and process variability on the formability of aluminium alloys

Automotive parts are increasingly being manufactured to be lighter and stronger to minimise the environmental impact and to improve the crash performance of automobiles. The materials that are being used to achieve these aims tend to have lower formabilities compared to the traditionally used mild steel. This is particularly true for cold forming operations. As a consequence of the smaller forming window that is available, there is a greater need to understand the safety margins that are applied when manufacturing parts made from these materials. These safety margins are determined by estimations of the impact of material and process variabilities on formability as well as the attitude that is adopted towards risk. This study looked at the impact of material and process variabilities on the cold formability of two aluminium grades: AA6111-T4 and AA5754-O. The forming factors studied included changes to overall material properties, tool surface roughness, quantity of lubricant, tooling temperature and gauge. Because of the complexity of the forming process, the problem was reduced to a study of formability under plane strain stretch conditions. Particular emphasis was placed in quantifying the temperature of tooling during cold forming and understanding its effect on formability. It was found that the safety factor applied to AA5754-O can be lower than that used for AA6111-T4.     

Effects of magnesium content on dual beam Nd : YAG laser welding of Al – Mg alloys

Abstract

The effects of Mg content on the weldability of aluminium alloy sheet using the dual-beam Nd:YAG laser welding process have been studied by making bead-on-plate welds on 1.6 mm thick AA 1100, AA 5754 (3.2 wt-%Mg) and AA 5182 (4.6 wt-%Mg) alloy sheets. Whereas all full-penetration laser welds made in 1100 aluminium were of excellent quality,many of the welds produced in the aluminium–magnesium alloys exhibited rough, spiky underbead surfaces with drop-through and undercut. A limited range of process variables was found, however, that allowed welds with acceptable weld bead quality to be produced in the 5754 and the 5182 alloy sheet. Goodwelds were only produced in these alloys if the lead/lag laser beam power ratio was ≥1. Weld penetration and the maximum welding speed allowing full penetration keyhole-mode welding were observed to increase with Mg content. This was attributed to the effect of Mg on the vapour pressure within the keyhole and the surface tension of the Al–Mg alloys. Significant occluded vapour porosity was seen in the 5754 and 5182 alloy welds with borderline penetration; however, there was no evidence of porosity in the acceptable full-penetration welds with smooth underbead surfaces. Hardness profiles in the 5754 and 5182 welds showed a gradual increase in hardness from the base metal values through the heat affected zone (HAZ) to a peak in hardness in the weld metal adjacent the fusion boundary. It is possible that this increase in hardness may be the result of the presence of Mg₂Al₃ or metastable Mg₂Al₃′ precipitates in this region of the weld and HAZ.     

Dissimilar metal joining of aluminium to zinc-coated steel by ultrasonic plus resistance spot welding – microstructure and mechanical properties

Vehicle body structures are increasingly utilising multi-materials designs with advanced high strength steels (AHSS) and aluminium alloys. A robust process for joining aluminium alloys to AHSS based on resistance spot welding (RSW) is essential to widespread application of such bi-metallic structures in fuel-efficient vehicles. In this study, ultrasonic plus RSW was applied to join AA6022 to Zn-coated dual-phase steel DP980. During solid-state ultrasonic spot welding, an interface structure comprising multilayer, Al–Zn and Zn–Fe intermetallics formed due to alloying of aluminium with steel coating. Such structure was subsequently melted into the aluminium nugget, and new Al–Fe intermetallics formed during RSW. Ultrasonic plus resistance spot-welded joints had superior fracture energy than direct resistance spot-welded joints.     

Numerical simulation of spot welding for galvanised sheet steels

Abstract

Galvanised sheet steels are now widely used to be the substrate for body in white (BIW) construction in the automotive industry. Weldability of galvanised sheet steels much worsened compared to spot welding of low carbon steels. The present paper develops a 2D axisymmetric model and employs an incremental coupled thermal–electrical–mechanical analysis to predict the nugget development during resistance spot welding (RSW) of galvanised sheet steels. Temperature dependent contact resistance for faying surfaces was determined to take into account of the influence of zinc coat for spot welding galvanised sheet steels. The effect of dynamic contact radii on temperature distribution was studied and compared with results under constant contact area assumption. The predicted nugget shape and size agreed well with the experimental data. Higher current and longer welding time should be applied for galvanised sheet steels compared to low carbon steel spot welding. The proposed model can be applied to predict weld quality and choose optimal welding conditions for spot welding galvanised sheet steels.     

Some Surface Factors that Affect the Spot Welding of Aluminium

The resistance spot weldability of AA5754 (Al. 3.0 Mg) has been tested with three characteristic surface conditions, etched, mill finish and pretreated/lubricated sheet combined with the presence of a structural adhesive (weld bonding). Each surface type is of potential interest for high volume automotive vehicle production. The results were compared with contact resistance measurements made to the German standard DVS 2929 which suggest that neither mill finish nor pretreated/lubricated surfaces with adhesive present, should be weldable. However, it was found that all three surface conditions were readily weldable, producing more than 1000 welds when suitable equipment (Medium Frequency DC) and appropriate welding parameters were used. Etched surfaces gave the most consistent spot weld strengths but acceptable spot welds were also obtained from the mill finish and pretreated/lubricated surface. Of the three surfaces tested, only the pretreated and lubricated surface is known to also offer acceptable structural bond strength durability in weld bonding applications.     

Mechanism investigation of friction-related effects in single point incremental forming using a developed oblique roller-ball tool

Single point incremental forming (SPIF) is a highly versatile and flexible process for rapid manufacturing of complex sheet metal parts. In the SPIF process, a ball nose tool moves along a predefined tool path to form the sheet to desired shapes. Due to its unique ability in local deformation of sheet metal, the friction condition between the tool and sheet plays a significant role in material deformation. The effects of friction on surface finish, forming load, material deformation and formability are studied using a newly developed oblique roller ball (ORB) tool. Four grades of aluminum sheet including AA1100, AA2024, AA5052 and AA6111 are employed in the experiments. The material deformation under both the ORB tool and conventional rigid tool are studied by drilling a small hole in the sheet. The experimental results suggest that by reducing the friction resistance using the ORB tool, better surface quality, reduced forming load, smaller through-the-thickness-shear and higher formability can be achieved. To obtain a better understanding of the frictional effect, an analytical model is developed based on the analysis of the stress state in the SPIF deformation zone. Using the developed model, an explicit relationship between the stress state and forming parameters is established. The experimental observations are in good agreement with the developed model. The model can also be used to explain two contrary effects of friction and corresponding through-the-thickness-shear: increase of friction would potentially enhance the forming stability and suppress the necking; however, increase of friction would also increase the stress triaxiality and decrease the formability. The final role of the friction effect depends on the significance of each effect in SPIF process.     

Investigation of induced magnetic force on liquid nugget during resistance spot welding

Abstract

This paper investigates the source, magnitude and direction of magnetic force on the liquid nugget during resistance spot welding (RSW). High speed photography was used to observe the nugget formation process during half-sectioned RSW of steel (ferromagnetic substance) and aluminium alloy (paramagnetic substance). The induced magnetic force acting on half-sectioned and regular nugget was afterwards analysed and calculated. The results show that in the case of steel RSW, the magnetised workpieces generated a very strong magnetic field around the spot welding zone, while weak magnetic field appeared in the case of aluminium alloy RSW. This strong magnetic field causes a strong convection in the liquid nugget of steel even when the welding current is low. This strong convection will promote that the dimensions of nugget in the steel RSW become larger and closer to rectangle (observed on the cross-section) than in the aluminium alloy RSW.     

HAZ development and accelerated post-weld natural ageing in ultrasonic spot welding aluminium 6111-T4 automotive sheet

By careful hardness measurements, supported by electron microscopy, it has been shown that there is a clearly observable heat-affected zone (HAZ) when ultrasonic spot welding (USW) aluminium automotive alloys like AA6111-T4, the severity of which depends on the welding energy. In contrast, it has been previously reported that because of the low-energy input with USW no HAZ can be detected. Immediately after welding, softening is seen in the weld zone relative to the normal T4 starting condition. However, this is rapidly recovered by natural ageing, which masks the presence of a HAZ, and the weld strength over long natural ageing times significantly exceeds that of the parent T4 material. This behaviour is caused by dissolution of the solute clusters and Guinier–Preston zones present in the T4 sheet due to the high weld temperatures, which were recorded to reach over 400 °C at the weld interface, followed by accelerated post-weld natural ageing. Interestingly, the weld zone was found to naturally age faster, and to a more advanced state, than the parent material. Modelling has been used to demonstrate that a large excess vacancy concentration can potentially be generated by the high-strain-rate dynamic deformation in USW, which can accelerate the natural ageing response seen in the weld.     

Microstructure characterization and quasi-static failure behavior of resistance spot welds of AA6111-T4 aluminum alloy

The microstructure, microhardness and quasi-static failure behavior of resistance spot welds of AA6111-T4 aluminum alloy were experimentally investigated. Optical metallography and high-resolution hardness traverses were utilized to characterize the weld nugget, heat affected zone and base metal. The AA6111 spot welds displayed a softer nugget and hardened heat affected zone, compared with the base metal. The through-thickness hardness of the base metal sheet was not constant and had to be carefully considered to determine the effect of welding on material properties. Quasi-static lap-shear tensile tests were used to determine the failure load and failure mode. All tensile specimens failed through the interfacial fracture. This failure mode is consistent with the observed reduced hardness in the weld nugget.     

The Mechanical Behavior of Friction-Stir Spot Welded Aluminum Alloys

Aluminum and alloys are widely used in the automotive industry due to the light weight, good formability, and malleability. Spot welding is the most commonly used joining method of these materials, but the high current requirements and the inconsistent quality of the final welds make this process unsuitable. An alternative welding technique, the friction-stir spot welding process, can also be successfully used in joining of aluminum and alloys. In this study, 1-mm-thick AA5754 Al-alloy plates in the H-111 temper conditions were joined by friction-stir spot welding using two different weld parameters such as tool rotational speed and dwell time. Mechanical properties of the joints were obtained with extensive hardness measurements and tensile shear tests. The effect of these parameters on the failure modes of welded joints was also determined.     

Analysis of workpiece magnetisation on liquid nugget during resistance spot welding

This paper investigates the effect of workpiece magnetisation on the magnetic flux density and nugget shape during resistance spot welding (RSW) process. To this end, this paper analyses the magnetisation process of ferromagnetic workpieces. The magnetisation was calculated by the equivalent surface current. The effect of magnetisation on the nugget shape was studied for RSW of steel and a specially designed aluminium workpiece. The results show that the magnetisation of ferromagnetic workpieces will increase the dimensions of the weld nugget in the thickness direction. The magnetic flux density induced by workpiece magnetisation and that induced by welding current have the same order of magnitude (10^?1 T). This indicates that the magnetisation of ferromagnetic workpiece is an important source of magnetic force acting on liquid nugget. Therefore, it should not be ignored in studying the physics of RSW process, especially for the fluid flow in RSW of ferromagnetic materials.     

两种铝合金的点焊组织模拟与试验分析

AA754和AA6082是两种具有不同强化机制的铝合金材料,在电阻点焊加热过程中,两种铝合金材料的组织会发生不同类型的转变.通过采用不同的计算模型,使用有限元软件对两种铝合金点焊后不同焊接组织的分布进行了模拟和预测.通过焊接试验研究,对两种铝合金的点焊组织的形态和分布进行了观察.结果表明,所采用的两种计算模型可以有效的预测和反映出两种铝合金点焊组织变化过程中的一些现象.仿真结果和试验结果都显示出两种铝合金的点焊组织有着明显不同的特征.     

Influence of heat treatment and surface conditioning on filiform corrosion of aluminium alloys AA3005 and AA5754

The effect of high-temperature heat treatment combined with different cleaning and pre-treatment practices on filiform corrosion resistance has been investigated for aluminium alloys AA3005 and AA5754. High-temperature heat treatment severely reduces the filiform corrosion resistance of alloy AA3005, while the corrosion properties of alloy 5754 are only moderately affected. The drastic loss of filiform corrosion resistance of alloy AA3005 after high-temperature heat treatment is attributed to preferential microstructural changes in a heavily deformed, micrograined surface layer caused by large surface shear strain during rolling. The enhanced deformation of the near-surface region promotes precipitation of a fine dispersion of intermetallic particles during subsequent heat treatment. The higher density of intermetallic particles combined with lower supersaturated solid solution levels of manganese in the surface layer as compared to the bulk structure makes the heat-treated AA3005 material susceptible to superficial corrosion attacks and results in poor filiform corrosion resistance. Application of a commercial acid cleaning/chromating pre-treatment did not restore the filiform corrosion resistance of heat-treated alloy AA3005. Alloy AA5754, containing lower levels of manganese and iron than AA3005, did not undergo similar preferential microstructural changes during heat treatment. A moderate increase in the amount of filiform corrosion of heat-treated AA5754 samples is attributed to poor protective properties of the thick, magnesium enriched, thermally formed surface oxide on this alloy. Any cleaning/pre-treatment practice that removes the thermally formed oxide on this alloy results in a very high filiform corrosion resistance.     

Intermetallic compounds in friction stirred lap joints between AA5754/galvanised ultra-high strength steel

This paper presents results of joining of AA5754 and DP800 based on the friction stir welding process. Joints were produced by the tool made of H13 tool steel which was allowed to penetrate through the aluminium sheet until reaching the surface of steel sheet without penetrating into it. This approach is an economic and robust way to operate the dissimilar welding process without excessive tool cost. Bonding was achieved by interfacial diffusion reactions between aluminium and iron with a formation of intermetallic compounds. The formation of brittle intermetallic compounds at the interface between the materials was studied. Three intermetallic phases were found at the interface including Al₁₃Fe₄, Al₅Fe₂ and Fe₃Zn₁₀. A range of process parameters was identified with a thickness of the intermetallic layers around 2?µm. Shear fracture failure mode was observed under overlap loading. The mechanisms of formation of the joints and factors controlling the strength were discussed.     

Resistance and friction stir spot welding of DP600: a comparative study

Abstract

Efforts to reduce vehicle weight and improve crash performance have resulted in increased application of advanced high strength steels (AHSS) and a recent focus on the weldability of these alloys. Resistance spot welding (RSW) is the primary sheet metal welding process in the manufacture of automotive assemblies. Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) was invented as a novel method to spot welding sheet metal and has proven to be a potential candidate for spot welding AHSS. A comparative study of RSW and FSSW on spot welding AHSS has been completed. The objective of this work is to compare the microstructure and mechanical properties of Zn coated DP600 AHSS (1·2 mm thick) spot welds conducted using both processes. This was accomplished by examining the metallurgical cross-sections and local hardnesses of various spot weld regions. High speed data acquisition was also used to monitor process parameters and attain energy outputs for each process. Results show a correlation found among microstructure, failure loads, energy requirements and bonded area for both spot welding processes.     

铝合金点焊的多场耦合建模与动态过程数值模拟(英文)

基于铝合金点焊的热、机、电及相变原理,建立热电力耦合场的轴对称有限元数值仿真模型,实现对焊接区温度场、电场、应力应变的动态模拟。发现了焊接电流变化激发的铝合金动态电阻"瞬态逆向虚变效应",揭示了过程热电耦合瞬态与稳态差异性作用机理,阐释了焊接电流增加而瞬态电阻骤降的反常现象。基于铝合金点焊稳态仿真与实验结果修正了动态电阻数值计算模型。AA5182的计算与实验结果表明,考虑动态电阻"瞬态逆向虚变效应"的动态仿真模型能够精确描述焊接电流调整过程中的电参数动态变化和铝合金焊点熔核的生长过程。     

Study of friction stir joining of thin aluminium sheets in lap joint configuration

Abstract

Thinning in friction stir lap joints and its relation with the process variables was investigated. Friction stir welds were made on 1 mm thick AA6111 aluminium alloy sheets in order to study the effects of rotation rate, traverse speed, plunge depth, tilt angle and pin height on faying surface defects. Sheet thinning on the advancing and retreating sides was quantified and the lap shear strength of the joints was evaluated. A decrease in the pitch of the runs at constant rotation rate increased the sheet thinning and reduced the joint strength in a linear manner. Process pitch and pin height were found to be the most critical factors in determining the faying surface lift up. A pin of the same height as the sheet thickness resulted in maximum lap shear strength. Tool tilt did not show a significant effect on the sheet thinning.     

The influence of severe plastic deformation on the mechanical properties of AA6111

The alloy AA6111 has been chosen in many countries for automotive outerbody panels, but low ductility remains a major obstacle to competition with steel. Equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE) was used as a tool to produce fine-grained structures with enhanced ductility. Conventional grain sizes in the range of 9 μm to 50 μm were used to investigate the influence of severe plastic deformation (SPD) and heat treatment on mechanical properties of AA6111 sheet at room temperature. It has been found that SPD by ECAE followed by heat treatment leads to an increase in both strength and ductility, in addition to highr-value. The increase in mechanical properties was also significantly influenced by heat-treatment temperature at the final stage of sheet processing. For more information, contact KiHo Rhee, Cooperative Research Centre for Cast Metals Manufacturing, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Monash University; VIC, 3800, Australia; +61 3 9905 1967; fax +61 3 9905 4940; e-mail kiho.rhee@spme.monash.edu.au.