Welding of Very Dissimilar Materials (Fe-Al)

Designers of transportation vehicles (air, land, or sea) continually seek ways to reduce vehicle weight in response to increasing fuel economy mandates, mission requirements, or other competitive pressures. One way to do this is by the selection of material types and their properties based on functional and structural requirements. While these material changes can help meet performance mandates, their implementation in a production environment relies on retaining economic competitiveness. This article traces the history of the various joining processes relevant to the current challenge in joining the very dissimilar families of steel (Fe) and aluminum (Al) alloys.