Effect of Zinc Coating on Delay Nugget Formation in Dissimilar DP600 - AISI304 Welded Joints Obtained by the Resistance Spot Welding Process

This paper researches the effect of zinc coating of galvanized DP600 steel on the dynamic resistance and the delayed nugget formation of dissimilar DP600 - AISI304 welded joints, obtained with resistance spot welding process (RSW). The RSW evaluations consisted of determining, from the dynamic resistance curves, the time involved in the different stages of the process, particularly the beginning of nugget formation. The experimental results showed that, from the dynamic resistance curves, it is possible to identify 8 distinct stages during the welding of galvanized DP600 steel and AISI304 stainless steel. In the case of the welding of uncoated DP600 steel with AISI304, only 6 stages are identified (except for stages 2 and 3), which are directly related to the heating, softening and melting of the galvanic coating. The energy used in stages 2 and 3, causes a delay in the beginning of nugget formation for welded joints obtained with galvanized DP600 steel compared to uncoated DP600 - AISI304 welded joints, reaching values between 37.28 ms and 52.29 ms for the welding conditions analyzed. Monitoring the time duration of stages 2 and 3, as defined from the analysis of the dynamic resistance curves, could be used as a tool to predict the beginning of nugget formation in the welding of galvanized steels, to avoid undesirable phenomena such as expulsion and to guarantee the quality of the welded joints.

Effect of different lapping orders on mechanical performance and nugget forming process for three-sheet dissimilar resistance spot welding joints between DC06 and unequal-thickness hot-stamped B1500HS steel sheets

In this study, the mechanical properties of two welded joints under different lapping orders (B1500HS-1.4 mm/B1500HS-1.6 mm/DC06, denoted as type I; B1500HS-1.4 mm/DC06/B1500HS-1.6 mm, denoted type II) were compared. The nugget formation mechanism was analysed by a coupled electrical-thermal finite element model (FEM). It is found that different lapping orders significantly affect the mechanical properties of three-sheet RSW joints. All RSW joints tend to fail in the pull-out or tearing failure mode. The peak load of the two interfaces of type II RSW joint is more balanced, and the failure load of which is much higher than that of the type I RSW joint; The warpage was observed at type I welded joint. Considered the load-carrying capacity, type II was excellent. The simulation results indicate that the diameter of the weld nugget at the upper interface of the type I RSW joint was larger than that on the other interfaces, which agree well with the experimental results. The nugget formation mechanism of dissimilar high strength steel three-sheet RSW joint was obtained that forming the nugget firstly from two interfaces and final formed nuggets were asymmetric.