Dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel by resistance spot welding

In this work, the resistance spot welding (RSW) process was performed to join aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel plates. The macro characteristics including nugget diameters and indentation rates, microstructure and tensile-shear strength of RSW joints were investigated. The results showed th...

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Main Authors: Yong Xu, Qianwei Chen, Bingxu Wang, Feng Qiu, Baixin Dong, Hongjun Li, Zude Feng, Gary C. Barber
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-11-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785424021380
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author Yong Xu
Qianwei Chen
Bingxu Wang
Feng Qiu
Baixin Dong
Hongjun Li
Zude Feng
Gary C. Barber
author_facet Yong Xu
Qianwei Chen
Bingxu Wang
Feng Qiu
Baixin Dong
Hongjun Li
Zude Feng
Gary C. Barber
author_sort Yong Xu
collection DOAJ
description In this work, the resistance spot welding (RSW) process was performed to join aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel plates. The macro characteristics including nugget diameters and indentation rates, microstructure and tensile-shear strength of RSW joints were investigated. The results showed that the nugget of the RSW joints comprises a ‘bowl’ shape nugget on the aluminum side and an elliptical shape nugget on the steel side. Also, the intermetallic compound (IMC) layers containing Fe4Al13 and Fe2Al5 were formed around the aluminum/steel interface with the steel side having a tongue-shape and the aluminum side having a needle-shape. According to metallurgical evaluation and temperature distribution of RSW joints analyzed by the finite element method, the nugget on the aluminum side contained the dendritic grains and equiaxed dendritic grains. The nugget on the steel side consisted of a large amount of bainite and a small amount of coarse lath martensite. The nugget diameters and the indentations rates of RSW joints increased when increasing either welding current or welding time, and decreased when increasing the electrode pressure. The maximum values of nugget diameter and indentation rate of RSW joints were 9.076 mm and 4.144% when using the welding current of 16 kA, welding time of 450 ms and electrode force of 3 kN. In tensile-shear tests, the RSW joints showed a shear-off fracture mode. When increasing the welding current, welding time or electrode force, the tensile-shear strength of RSW joints increased first, and then reached a maximum, and finally decreased. The welding current of 16 kA, the welding time of 300 ms, and the electrode pressure of 3 kN were considered as the optimal welding parameters in the present study which resulted in the maximum tensile-shear strength of 2.24 kN. In addition, the IMC layers of the RSW joints exhibited a uniform and continuous appearance with a thickness of approximately 1.9 μm, and the IMC layer in the central area was thicker than that in the edge area.
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spelling doaj-art-64c99e8ea5ce408ea221840c961f5b312025-08-20T01:57:20ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542024-11-013391992810.1016/j.jmrt.2024.09.133Dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel by resistance spot weldingYong Xu0Qianwei Chen1Bingxu Wang2Feng Qiu3Baixin Dong4Hongjun Li5Zude Feng6Gary C. Barber7School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, PR ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, PR ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, PR China; Automotive Tribology Center, School of Engineering and Computer Science, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, 48309, USA; Zhejiang Sci-Tech University Shengzhou Innovation Research Institute, Shengzhou, Zhejiang, 312400, PR China; Corresponding author. School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, PR China.Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130025, PR China; Automotive Tribology Center, School of Engineering and Computer Science, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, 48309, USA; Corresponding author. Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130025, PR China.Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, 130025, PR ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, PR ChinaHuineng Professional Welding Equipment Supplier, Dongguan, Guangdong, 523000, PR ChinaAutomotive Tribology Center, School of Engineering and Computer Science, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, 48309, USAIn this work, the resistance spot welding (RSW) process was performed to join aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel plates. The macro characteristics including nugget diameters and indentation rates, microstructure and tensile-shear strength of RSW joints were investigated. The results showed that the nugget of the RSW joints comprises a ‘bowl’ shape nugget on the aluminum side and an elliptical shape nugget on the steel side. Also, the intermetallic compound (IMC) layers containing Fe4Al13 and Fe2Al5 were formed around the aluminum/steel interface with the steel side having a tongue-shape and the aluminum side having a needle-shape. According to metallurgical evaluation and temperature distribution of RSW joints analyzed by the finite element method, the nugget on the aluminum side contained the dendritic grains and equiaxed dendritic grains. The nugget on the steel side consisted of a large amount of bainite and a small amount of coarse lath martensite. The nugget diameters and the indentations rates of RSW joints increased when increasing either welding current or welding time, and decreased when increasing the electrode pressure. The maximum values of nugget diameter and indentation rate of RSW joints were 9.076 mm and 4.144% when using the welding current of 16 kA, welding time of 450 ms and electrode force of 3 kN. In tensile-shear tests, the RSW joints showed a shear-off fracture mode. When increasing the welding current, welding time or electrode force, the tensile-shear strength of RSW joints increased first, and then reached a maximum, and finally decreased. The welding current of 16 kA, the welding time of 300 ms, and the electrode pressure of 3 kN were considered as the optimal welding parameters in the present study which resulted in the maximum tensile-shear strength of 2.24 kN. In addition, the IMC layers of the RSW joints exhibited a uniform and continuous appearance with a thickness of approximately 1.9 μm, and the IMC layer in the central area was thicker than that in the edge area.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785424021380Dissimilar jointRSWMicrostructureStrengthFEA
spellingShingle Yong Xu
Qianwei Chen
Bingxu Wang
Feng Qiu
Baixin Dong
Hongjun Li
Zude Feng
Gary C. Barber
Dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel by resistance spot welding
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Dissimilar joint
RSW
Microstructure
Strength
FEA
title Dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel by resistance spot welding
title_full Dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel by resistance spot welding
title_fullStr Dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel by resistance spot welding
title_full_unstemmed Dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel by resistance spot welding
title_short Dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low-alloy carbon steel by resistance spot welding
title_sort dissimilar joining of aluminum alloy and low alloy carbon steel by resistance spot welding
topic Dissimilar joint
RSW
Microstructure
Strength
FEA
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785424021380
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