Nugget Size Research Articles

Comparative Study on the Liquid Metal Embrittlement Susceptibility of the High-Si Advanced High-Strength Steel with EG and GA Zn Coatings

The Zn-coated high-Si advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) tends to suffer Zn-assisted liquid metal embrittlement (LME) during the resistance spot welding (RSW) process. In this study, the LME behaviors of electrogalvanized (EG) and galvannealed (GA) high-Si steels were comparatively investigated. The maximum lengths of the LME cracks at the shoulder and center of the spot weld were approximately 366.6 μm and 1486.5 μm, respectively, for the EG yet 137.0 μm and 1533.3 μm, respectively, for the GA high-Si steels. Additionally, all EG and GA welded joints were etched to measure the nugget size. It was found that the increased welding current could aggravate the formation tendency of the LME cracks for both the EG and GA high-Si steels. Furthermore, the statistical results revealed that the electrogalvanized high-Si AHSS exhibited a relatively higher LME susceptibility than the galvannealed high-Si AHSS. It was deemed that the internal oxidation produced during the annealing before the Zn coating was the crucial factor that led to the difference in the LME susceptibilities for the EG and GA high-Si steels.

MICROSTRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF 6082/7075 MAGNETIC-FIELD-ASSISTED RESISTANCE-SPOT-WELDED JOINTS

To advance automotive lightweighting, a study was conducted on steady-state magnetic-field-assisted resistance spot welding of 6082 aluminum alloy (1.0 mm thick) and 7075 aluminum alloy (1.5 mm thick) with thermal compensation. The influence of varying magnetic induction intensity on the microstructure and tensile properties of welded joints was assessed under the same welding current, time and electrode pressure. The results revealed that the Lorentz force induced by magnetic induction intensity ranging from 0 mT to 60 mT could promote an outward circumferential movement of molten metal within the weld nugget. This movement, at the same time, led to an increase in the weld-nugget size and improved the efficiency of thermal resistance. At a magnetic induction intensity of 80 mT, no weld-nugget formation occurred in the welded joint. Microstructural observations at magnetic induction intensities of 0 mT and 60 mT revealed equiaxed grains at the nugget center and columnar dendrite grains at the nugget edge in the welded joints. The Lorentz force accelerated the weld cooling rates after the addition of magnetic field, refining the weld grain structure. Tensile properties of the welded joints gradually improved with increasing the magnetic induction intensity from 0 mT to 60 mT, driven by the weld nugget size expansion and weld grain refinement. Overall, the present study indicated that the magnetic induction intensity of 60 mT resulted in the most favorable comprehensive mechanical properties of the investigated welded joints.

Nugget and corona bond size measurement through active thermography and transfer learning model

Resistance spot welding (RSW) is considered a preferred technique for joining metal parts in various industries, mainly for its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The mechanical properties of spot welds are pivotal in ensuring structural integrity and overall assembly performance. In this work, the quality attributes of resistance spot welding, such as both nugget and corona bond sizes, are assessed by analyzing the thermal behavior of the joint using a physical information neural network (PINN). Starting from the thermal signal phase gradient and amplitude gradient maps, a convolutional neural network (CNN) estimates the size of nuggets and corona bonds. The CNN architecture is based on the Inception V3 architecture, a state-of-the-art neural network that excels in image recognition tasks. This study suggests adopting a new methodology for automatic RSW quality control based on thermal signal analysis.

Enhancing load-bearing capacity of martensitic stainless steel resistance spot welds: Microstructural vs. geometrical approaches

The load-bearing capacity of resistance spot welds is determined by a combination of weld geometrical attributes, such as the size of the weld nugget (WN), and weld metallurgical features. When resistance spot welds are made on martensitic stainless steels (MSSs), their load-bearing capacity is reduced due to the formation of a brittle martensitic microstructure within the WN. In this study, we investigated two distinct approaches to enhance the mechanical properties of AISI420 MSS spot welds. The results indicated that manipulating the WN size did not effectively produce strong welds in both tensile-shear (TS) and cross-tension (CT) tests. Therefore, we focused on examining the impact of the weld microstructure by employing two different interlayers: low carbon steel (LCS) and pure nickel. The analysis using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), along with equilibrium and non-equilibrium phase diagrams, revealed that the microstructure of the WN with low carbon steel interlayer of various thicknesses exhibited similarities with spot welds made without an interlayer, and the solidification mode was still δ-ferrite. This microstructure primarily consisted of martensite (M) and likely residual delta ferrite (δ) phases, resulting in no significant improvements in mechanical properties. In contrast, the utilization of the nickel interlayer led to remarkable enhancements in mechanical properties. This improvement can be attributed to a shift in the solidification mode from primary delta (δ) to austenite (γ) within an optimal interlayer thickness. This transition facilitated the development of a predominantly austenitic (γ) microstructure, contributing to the formation of an exceptionally tough microstructure within the weld nugget. Consequently, the load-bearing capacity was significantly improved.

Optimization and Simulation Parameters of the Resistance Spot Welding for Commercial Aluminium (AA1050) at Low Power Welding Machine

This study aims to find the best conditions of resistance spot welding in commercial Aluminium AA1050 to obtain the maximum tensile shear strength of the joint using a low-power supply welding machine. The chosen parameters for this study were welding current, welding time, and electrode force using a 90 kVA welding machine. The investigation used the DoE method with Taguchi’s technique to reduce the number of experiments where two sheet thicknesses (1 mm and 2 mm) were used in this work. The software program Minitab 18 analyzed the results using the main effects plots and the interaction plots to identify the most significant parameters and their effect on the joint strength. The best conditions for maximum tensile shear force were 14.85 kA welding current and 0.79 kN electrode force for both thicknesses and two cycles and 12 cycles welding time for 1 mm and 2 mm sheet thickness, respectively. The maximum tensile strength obtained was 250 N and 225 N for 1mm and 2mm sheet thickness, respectively. A mathematical equation was developed to predict the shear force with 19.9 % and 17.9 % error for 1 mm and 2 mm thicknesses, respectively. The best conditions were applied in ANSYS 2022R1 multi-physics to obtain the temperature distribution with time history, where the result shows the nugget size according to the molten temperature. The percentage of discrepancy between actual and numerical nugget size was 8 %.

STUDYING THE STRENGTH OF DISSIMILAR JOINTS OF AISI 430 AND 301 STAINLESS STEEL WELDED AT DIFFERENT WELDING PARAMETERS

Investigating the best welding parameters for resistance spot welding joints between AISI 430 and AISI 301 stainless steels was the primary focus of this study. This research involved welding samples of these stainless steel types using various welding parameters. Ferritic stainless steel (AISI 430) and austenitic stainless steel (AISI 301) were subjected to resistance spot welding, and different welding conditions were applied to produce a range of samples. The study specifically analyzed the influence of the welding current (2.5, 3.1 and 3.7) kA and welding time (40, 70 and 100) ms on the joining capability of these stainless steels. To determine the best welding parameters, microhardness measurements and tensile-shear tests were performed on the welded materials. The results indicated that increasing the welding current and welding time led to an increase in the tensile load. The maximum tensile-shear load 2036 N was observed at 3.7 kA and 100 ms. However, after a salt spray test (48 and 96) h, a serious decrease in the tensile load from 2036 N to 750 was observed at the high current 3.7 kA and time (70 and 100) ms. At 3.1 kA and 70 ms before and after the salt test, its value remained relatively constant, and the corrosion resistance of the weld joint was at the best level. The microhardness of the heat-affected zone increased, reaching its maximum point (for 3.1 kA and 70 ms: 347.3 HV and for 3.1 kA 100 ms: 369 HV) in the fusion zone. Moreover, the increase in the welding time and current was associated with an increase in the nugget size. The maximum nugget size was 3.61 mm at 3.7 kA and 100 ms.

Advances in Machine Learning Techniques Used in Fatigue Life Prediction of Welded Structures

In the shipbuilding, construction, automotive, and aerospace industries, welding is still a crucial manufacturing process because it can be utilized to create massive, intricate structures with exact dimensional specifications. These kinds of structures are essential for urbanization considering they are used in applications such as tanks, ships, and bridges. However, one of the most important types of structural damage in welding continues to be fatigue. Therefore, it is necessary to take this phenomenon into account when designing and to assess it while a structure is in use. Although traditional methodologies including strain life, linear elastic fracture mechanics, and stress-based procedures are useful for diagnosing fatigue failures, these techniques are typically geometry restricted, require a lot of computing time, are not self-improving, and have limited automation capabilities. Meanwhile, following the conception of machine learning, which can swiftly discover failure trends, cut costs, and time while also paving the way for automation, many damage problems have shown promise in receiving exceptional solutions. This study seeks to provide a thorough overview of how algorithms of machine learning are utilized to forecast the life span of structures joined with welding. It will also go through their drawbacks and advantages. Specifically, the perspectives examined are from the views of the material type, application, welding method, input parameters, and output parameters. It is seen that input parameters such as arc voltage, welding speed, stress intensity factor range, crack growth parameters, stress histories, thickness, and nugget size influence output parameters in the manner of residual stress, number of cycles to failure, impact strength, and stress concentration factors, amongst others. Steel (including high strength steel and stainless steel) accounted for the highest frequency of material usage, while bridges were the most desired area of application. Meanwhile, the predominant taxonomy of machine learning was the random/hybrid-based type. Thus, the selection of the most appropriate and reliable algorithm for any requisite matter in this area could ultimately be determined, opening new research and development opportunities for automation, testing, structural integrity, structural health monitoring, and damage-tolerant design of welded structures.

Improving Weldability of Press Hardened Steel Through Combining Stepped Current Pulse and Magnetically Assisted Resistance Spot Welding Process

Abstract Press-hardened steel (PHS), characterized by its extremely high strength, has wide applications in vehicle body manufacturing as an innovative lightweight material. Nevertheless, the poor weldability of PHS results in poor weld toughness and a high risk of interfacial fracture (IF), posing challenges to the resistance spot welding (RSW) process. Introducing an external magnetic field in the welding process to perform electromagnetic stirring (EMS), the magnetically assisted RSW (MA-RSW) process has been proven an effective method to improve the weld toughness of high-strength steel, but it may increase the risk of expulsion. In response to these challenges, this study introduces a new process called SPMA-RSW to improve the weldability of PHS by combining MA-RSW and the stepped-current pulses (SP) technique, which can enlarge the weld lobe. Nugget appearance, microstructure, microhardness, and mechanical properties were systematically investigated by comparing traditional RSW, MA-RSW, SP-RSW, and SPMA-RSW. The result showed that the SPMA-RSW process would significantly increase the nugget size, inhibit the shrinkage voids, finer the grain size of PHS welds, and harden the nugget region. This increased the lap-shear strength and changed the fracture mode from brittle IF mode to ductile plug fracture (PF) mode at the same heat input. Specifically, the peak load and energy absorption were increased by 32.3% and 84.2%, respectively. Then, an analytical model was developed to reveal the mechanism of the effect of EMS on the fracture mode transition and was verified by experiment. This work can help improve the weld quality and thermal efficiency of the RSW process for PHS.

Inspection of Spot Welded Joints with the Use of the Ultrasonic Surface Wave.

Spot welded joints play a crucial role in the construction of modern automobiles, serving as a vital method for enhancing the structural integrity, strength, and durability of the vehicle body. Taking into account spot welding process in automotive bodies, numerous defects can arise, such as insufficient weld nugget diameter. It may have evident influence on vehicle operation or even contribute to accidents on the road. Hence, there is a need for non-invasive methods that allow to assess the quality of the spot welds without compromising their structural integrity and characteristics. Thus, this study describes a novel method for assessing spot welded joints using ultrasound technology. The usage of ultrasonic surface waves is the main component of the proposed advancement. The study employed ultrasonic transducers operating at a frequency of 10 MHz and a specially designed setup for testing various spot welded samples. The parameters of the spot welding procedure and the size of the weld nugget caused differences in the ultrasonic surface waveforms that were recorded during experiments. One of the indicators of weld quality was the amplitude of the ultrasonic pulse. For low quality spot welds, the amplitude amounted to around 25% of the maximum value when using single-sided transducers. Conversely, for high-quality welds an amplitude of 90% was achieved. Depending on the size of the weld nugget, a larger or smaller amount of wave energy is transferred, which results in a smaller or larger amplitude of the ultrasonic pulse. Comparable results were obtained when employing transducers on both sides of the tested joint, as an amplitude ranging from 13% for inferior welds to 97% for superior ones was observed. This research confirmed the feasibility of employing surface waves to assess the diameter of the weld nugget accurately.

Mechanical behavior investigation for quenching and partitioning steel dissimilar resistance spot welds

Resistance spot welding is still the most common joining process for autobody structure assembly. It has many advantages and is simple to use, but the main challenge is controlling the process parameters that affect mechanical properties and weld quality. Advanced high-strength steels were developed to meet the demands of automakers such as lighter and stronger autobody. Quenching and partitioning (Q&P 980) steel is a third-generation advanced high strength steel with a combination of high strength and high ductility. In this study, effect of resistance spot welding parameters on the mechanical performance of dissimilar combination of Q&P980 steel and SPFC780Y high strength steel was investigated. Welding current, welding time, electrode pressure and holding time were chosen as the most important process parameters influencing the weld quality. A comprehensive investigation was conducted on geometrical attributes such as nugget size, fusion zone width, fusion zone area, electrode indentation and heat affected zone area and their correlations with peak load (Pmax), failure energy, fracture energy, and elongation at peak load (Lmax). In contrast the failure modes and fracture behavior were studied using scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that using high levels of welding current and welding time while maintaining low levels of electrode pressure and holding time result in a maximum peak load, energy absorption and maximum (Lmax) with pullout failure mode (PF) and this was demonstrated for large nugget size to a critical limit. The methods and findings of this research can be used as a basis for further research and development in the field of dissimilar resistance spot welding.

Evaluation of quantitative ultrasonic C-scan testing for refill friction stir spot welding joints based on time-frequency analysis

This paper focuses on a comparative study of different ultrasonic feature-based C-scan testing imaging methods for characterizing refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW) joints, and accurately identifying and measuring the nugget boundary. The aim is to explore a suitable method for nugget characterization and automatic size analysis. The research indicates that the frequency-domain C-scan imaging method outperforms the time-domain C-scan imaging method in accurately characterizing the nugget. Furthermore, the C-scan imaging method based on the feature value of the base material zone (BMZ) echo signal performs better than the method based on the nugget echo signal. The tested nugget sizes obtained by using the –6 dB drop-off method to identify the boundaries in the C-scan images are generally larger than the metallographic measurement values. A novel method is proposed in this paper, using the difference in main frequency amplitude values between the BMZ and the nugget as the feature value for the C-scan testing image, and employing the Hough circle transformation for an automatic extraction of joint size. This method achieves improved nugget characterization and higher accuracy in size analysis.

Mechanical properties and microstructure of aluminum alloy 7075-T6 spot-welding joint

In this study, an orthogonal experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of various process parameters on the mechanical properties of resistance spot welding joints in AA7075-T6 aluminum alloy. A numerical simulation was also performed to determine the optimal parameter combination. The mechanical properties, macro-morphology, and microstructure of the joints were characterized and analyzed through a series of tests including tensile testing, super depth-of-field testing, metallographic observation, and microhardness testing. The results show that the welding parameters have a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the joints with the following order of influence: welding time > welding current > electrode pressure. The combination of 60 ms welding time, 17 kA welding current, and 0.22 MPa electrode pressure yielded the best comprehensive mechanical properties with an average tensile load of 2364N and an energy absorption value of 6.8 J. The numerical simulation results are consistent with the nugget size of this parameter combination. During spot welding, spatter defect occurs, shrinkage cavity exists at nugget interface, strengthened T-phase and finer equiaxed grain structure precipitate in nugget center. After welding process and microstructure change, the hardness of the nugget zone is lower than that of the base material while the hardness of the nugget center is higher than that of the edge. The failure mode of the joint is interface fracture.

Experimental Analysis on Ultrasonic Resistance Spot Welding of Aluminum Alloys

A recently developed hybrid joining process known as ultrasonic resistance spot welding (URW) was used on various pairs of similar and dissimilar aluminum (Al) alloys with different thicknesses, including AA5182–AA5182, AA6111–AA6111, AA7075–AA6111, and AA7075–AA5182, and comprehensively studied. Compared to conventional resistance spot welding (RSW), URW of the alloys showed consistently enhanced mechanical behavior in lap shear and crosstension tests. This can be attributed to the multiple perspectives on microstructure improvements. For different stacks of Al alloys and welding conditions, nugget formation was promoted with a larger nugget size in URW. In the nugget center, ultrasonically assisted (UA) vibration facilitated the formation of an equiaxed crystal zone. At the nugget boundary, URW showed a narrower coarse columnar zone and partially melted zone, which are associatedwith the lowest hardness in the weld. Specifically in dissimilar Al welds, UA vibration moved the nugget more centered toward the weld interface. These microstructure improvements indicated UA vibration can homogenize temperature and elemental distribution, which modifies solidification behavior.

High Cycle Fatigue Testing of Lap Shear RSW Joints from Martensitic MS1400 Steel Sheets

Resistance spot welding (RSW) is one of the most common welding methods for steel sheets, as it is mainly used to join the automotive body structure parts. Different types of ultra-high strength steels (UHSS) have become widely used in the automotive body to obtain the required demands such as lower car weight, improving crashworthiness behavior, and enhancing strength–ductility combination. Martensitic UHSS belong to the highest grades width their tensile strength above 1000 MPa. During the lifetime of the vehicle cyclic loading generally occurs, therefore the optimization of welding technology should be performed considering the fatigue resistance of the welded joints. In our research 1 mm thick standardized lap shear sheets of martensitic MS1400 steel were welded by a TECNA 8007 RSW equipment with two different welding parameter combinations. The idea was to analyze the effect of welding and pulsation parameters on joint properties under static and cyclic loading. The welding parameters have been calibrated to produce the same weld nugget size for both technological combinations. Macroscopic, hardness, and tensile-shear tests were carried out to determine the fundamental mechanical characteristics of the RSW joints. The relation between the weld nugget microstructure and mechanical properties was explored. The high cycle fatigue (HCF) tests were performed on an MTS 810.23 universal electro-hydraulic materials testing system. A statistical approach was applied during the preparation and evaluation of the investigations, which increased their reliability. Measured and analyzed data of the lap shear welded joints, prepared by different technological parameters, were compared and discussed. The parameters of the HCF experiments were calculated considering the Japanese testing method (JSME S 002-1981). In most of the samples it was observed from both welding parameter combinations that the fatigue cracks initiate and grow in curvature shape in the softened part of the heat-affected zone towards the base metals in both directions symmetrically. A slight difference was observed in the HCF resistance of the welded joints prepared by different welding parameters.

Resistance spot weldability of Fe66Cr16.5Ni14.1Si3.4 advanced high strength steel using D-optimal design of experiment method

Using advanced high-strength steels in automobiles has created a new challenge to achieve acceptable welds. The present study evaluates the weldability of the new generation of advanced high-strength steels in the FeCrNiSi alloy group. Hence, utilizing the design of experiment (DOE), it was obtained how the parameters namely the welding current, welding time, and electrode force affect the final properties. Additionally, the acceptable range of parameters for achieving an acceptable weld nugget in terms of size and strength was obtained. Accordingly, the nugget size effects on mechanical properties, namely energy absorption capability, failure mode in tensile-shear test, and microhardness were evaluated. The parameters were statistically significant and showed a high degree of reliability (95%) in terms of nugget size. The range of acceptable parameters for 1 mm thick steel and type A electrode was 9–21 cycles for welding time, whereas for welding current were 4–7 KA, 5 to 6.5 KA, and 5.7 to 6.5 KA at 2, 3, and 4 KN electrode force, respectively. Due to the grain growth in the heat-affected zone (HAZ), the HAZ softening was observed in the microhardness profile. All samples demonstrated desired fracture mode due to the HAZ softening, the ductile austenitic microstructure, the absence of brittle phases, and easy nugget rotation in the tensile-shear test. By increasing the nugget diameter from 3 to 5.1 mm, the peak load and the energy absorption of the spot welds exceeded from 5.4 KN to 6.5 KN and from 10 to 31 J, respectively.

The Effect of Electrode Geometry and Pre-heating Treatment on Resistance Spot Welding Strength

Resistance spot welding (RSW) is one of the most significant and common metal joining methods used in industries. The present paper discusses the comparative performance of resistance spot welding electrodes of nontraditional design with the traditional one of 8 mm contact diameter in welding a 1.5 mm thick low carbon steel sheet used in automobile structural bodies and bridges. The modified electrode tip surface center was machined to have three different holes of 2, 3, and 4 mm depth and three different diameters of 2, 4, and 6 mm producing nine different hollow electrode dimensions. As well as the influence of pre-heating temperature on the mechanical properties of the weld joint was investigated by considering the other main parameters of welding time, current, and force are constant. The shear tensile test and torsion test examinations are carried out to investigate the mechanical properties. Also, to interrupt the results, a macrograph examination was conducted to determine the nugget size formation. The results show that the increase or decrease in the strength of the weld joint is greatly influenced by the proper selection of the modified electrode geometries. Also, the results indicated that the maximum improvement in shear tensile strength and torsional strength is about 140% and 150% compared to the traditional one. Furthermore, pre-heating processes helped decrease the contact resistance at the faying surfaces and improve the weld tensile strength and torsional strength to about 141% and 171% at 200 oC. Moreover, improvement may be achieved by slightly increasing pre-heating temperatures

Effect of welding current on the microstructural evolution and lap-shear performance of resistance spot-welded 340BH steel

In this study, we used experimental characterizations and finite element analysis (FEA) techniques to investigate the effect that welding current exerts on the microstructural features and mechanical properties of bake-hardened (BH) steels. Resistance spot welding (RSW) experiments were conducted using 5.0 and 7.0 kA of welding current. The microstructure across the weld regions was analyzed using optical microscopy (OM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). FEA was employed to simulate the RSW process, predict nugget dimensions, and determine cooling rates. The results of the OM analysis showed that nugget size increased with an increase in the welding current, and EBSD characterization revealed similar microstructures under both levels of current, but significant variations were observed within weld zones. Lath martensite formed as a result of rapid cooling in the fusion zone (FZ). Whereas, fine and coarse grains were found in the heat-affected zone (HAZ). In addition, the formation of lath martensite in the FZ resulted in high hardness on a 2D map of microhardness. The welding current had no substantial effect on microhardness, but it did impact the mechanical properties under lap-shear test conditions, which resulted in significant changes in the fracture mode. The deformation and fracture behavior of spot-welded specimens was studied using a lap-shear test coupled with 3D digital image correlation (DIC). The experimental results indicated a fracture in the 5.0 kA current samples near the FZ/HAZ boundary, while 7.0 kA welding current resulted in base metal (BM) necking and tensile fracture. FEA was also employed to elucidate the local deformation properties and fracture modes during lap-shear testing. The results of this study show that nugget size has no effect on a failure site during lap-shear loading, but size does affect the nugget load-carrying capabilities. The failure behavior was influenced by the microstructural properties of the distinct weld areas.

Optimized designing of generalized electrodes for aluminum/steel resistance spot welding process based on numerical calculation

This work focused on the effects of using different electrode combinations on the welding process and welding quality during aluminum/steel resistance spot welding (RSW) process. The electrodes used during the RSW process can be classified into two catalogues, planar type (P type) and sphere type(S type). An effective two dimensional (2D) numerical calculation model using finite element method (FEM) was developed. In the model, the friction effects between different contact surfaces were seriously considered, and the accuracy and reliability of the model were verified by means of actual welding experiments. Subsequently, the numerical calculation model was used to determine which type of electrode combination was the best one for welding quality by analyzing corresponding RSW processes using four different electrode combination schemes: PP type, SS type, PS type and SP type for upper and lower electrodes. To guarantee scientific nature of the comparisons and analyses, a constant energy regulation method was introduced for each process. The heat energy generation analyses, intermetallic compound formation and growth analyses, and current density analyses were conducted. Combining with actual experiments, the results showed that the welded joint obtained from RSW process using SP type electrode combination scheme had the best comprehensive performance, not only in the double nugget sizes, but also in the deformations of two types of parent metal sheets. In addition, the optimum sizes of the electrodes in this combination were determined through numerical calculations and experiments. Final result showed that the optimum diameter for S type and P type were respectively 9 mm and 60 mm. The work can supply important references for the dissimilar metal RSW process improvement.

Study of resistant spot welding and its effect on the metallurgical and mechanical properties _ a review

One of the most significant sectors of all industrialised economies today is the automotive sector. It offers several people at all economic levels the chance to find employment. In the automotive sector, resistance spot welding is the most used type of welding. The resistance spot weld quality has a significant impact on the structural integrity of a vehicle. Because to complex interactions between electrical, mechanical, thermal, and metallurgical processes, the process is both quick and effective while also being sophisticated. Much effort is always being put forth to produce lightweight materials with excellent strength-ductility combinations because of the growing demand for increased fuel efficiency, decreased CO2 emission, and superior crashworthiness. This paper reviews metallurgical and mechanical performance of resistance spot welds in terms of weld nugget size, load bearing capacity and failure mode, under quasi static loading conditions. It also reviews the effect of process parameters such as welding current, welding time, electrode force and mechanism on the mechanical performance of spot welds.

Comparison of RSW technologies on DP steels with modified instrumented Charpy impact test

In recent decades the toughness of welded structures becomes more and more important. This trend is particularly valid for the advanced high-strength steels (AHSS), which have reduced toughness comparing to the low-strength structural steels. Dynamic characteristics of the welded joints of the newly developed high-strength steel sheets required by the automotive industry have been neglected, with welding procedures being optimized on the static joint properties, mainly on the tensile-shear force. Up to the present time, testing of dynamic properties of the spot-welded joints has been performed by increased testing speed during tensile testing. The authors have developed a new dynamic testing method and designed new testing equipment for impact bending, which can give a numeric result to characterize the resistance of spot-welded joints against dynamic load. In this paper, this method will be used to evaluate resistance spot-welded joints made on DP600 and DP800 steels with three different technological parameters, comparing long-time welding, short-time welding, and two-pulse welding. The different parameters cause different weld nugget sizes, failure modes, impact energies, and force–time diagrams. All test results show that bigger weld nugget diameters cause better impact energies and impact forces, but the differences are not perfectly correlated.