Abstract
Combination of steel sheets and aluminium alloys in components are widely used in various industrial areas because of their high performance. At times it is not possible to join this material combination utilizing conventional joining techniques, especially welding methods, therefore other alternative techniques are developed. One of the alternatives are mechanical clinching as a cold joining process. The paper evaluates the properties of clinched joints. The following materials utilized in automotive industry in car body production were used in the joining process: hot-dip galvanized steel sheet H220PD (thickness of 0.8 mm) and aluminium alloys EN AW 5754 (0.8 mm). The following tests were performed to evaluate the properties of the clinched joints: tension test – to determine the load bearing capacities and the force-elongation diagrams; microhardness test – to determine the changes in the materials joined by clinching; and a metallographic analysis observing the clinched joints’ structures. Clinching proved to be suitable methods for joining the observed combination of hot-dip galvanized steel and aluminium alloy.
Highlights
Mass production of lightweight assemblies in automotive industry focuses on the systematic utilization of lightweight materials, such as aluminium alloys, magnesium alloys or a combination of materials, such as the combination of steel and aluminium alloys, steel and magnesium alloys [1,2]
Since we examined the possibility of joining steel H220PD and aluminium alloy AlMg3, we observed the influence of position of the joined sheets relative to the punch and die on the load bearing p-ISSN 1335-1532 e-ISSN 1338-1156
The lowest values of load bearing capacity were measured on the specimens, where aluminium alloy was positioned on the punch side of the tool
Summary
Mass production of lightweight assemblies in automotive industry focuses on the systematic utilization of lightweight materials, such as aluminium alloys, magnesium alloys or a combination of materials, such as the combination of steel and aluminium alloys, steel and magnesium alloys [1,2]. The research was focused on the evaluation of properties of the clinched joints of material combination of steel H220PD and aluminium alloy EN AW 5754 (AlMg3). Since we examined the possibility of joining steel H220PD and aluminium alloy AlMg3, we observed the influence of position of the joined sheets relative to the punch and die on the load bearing p-ISSN 1335-1532 e-ISSN 1338-1156
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