Influence of resistance spot welding process parameters on dissimilar austenitic and duplex stainless steel welded joints

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of welding parameters on tensile shear fracture load, nugget geometry and microstructure of resistance spot welds (RSW) of austenitic stainless steel AISI 316 L and duplex stainless steel 2205 under lap shear loading condition. The macroscopic examination resulted that many of the nugget lengths were nearer to and higher than the AWS recommended value 4√t and failed at higher tensile shear load. Nugget height for DSS 2205 side was higher in comparison with AISI 316 L due to higher thermal conductivity of duplex stainless steel. Three welding parameters mainly welding current of 9 kA, heating cycle of 9 and electrode tip diameter of 6 mm were discovered as most effectual parameters on the tensile shear load and microstructure of weldments. Heterogeneous hardness was observed in the fusion zone due to the transition of equiaxed to columnar grains takes place in the both sides of nugget edge. DSS HAZ nearby BM observed higher hardness and ASS HAZ nearby BM reported lower hardness. WMZ Microstructure confirmed that thickness of austenite layers increased with heat input. Also, an unmixed zone in the microstructure identified as HAZ which contains delta ferrite. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images in the nugget zone for different welding parameters confirmed that Intra-Granular Austenite (IGA) highly developed at higher welding current. SEM fractrograph for the tensile sheared specimens at higher and lower heat input confirmed the ductile type fracture even failed at Inter-Facial (IF) mode. Nugget area and nugget hardness were positively correlated with Tensile Shear Fracture Load (TSFL).