Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Numerical and experimental analysis on the influence of surface layer on the resistance spot welding process for the aluminum alloys 5182 and 6016

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Welding in the World Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Resistance spot welding is used as a high-productivity joining process for the increasing use of lightweight materials in industrial applications. The main challenge for the welding of aluminum alloys is the wear of the electrodes. Due to the natural oxide layers on the metal surface, high contact resistances exist between the sheet metal and the electrode. This results in increased heat generation at this interface, which leads to increased alloyage on the electrode. Breaking the insulating natural oxide layers can be achieved by a friction-free or friction-assisted motion overlay and leads to a reduced electrode wear. The complex physical correlations involved are currently being investigated in a basic research project at TU Dresden. In addition to welding tests on a test rig, simulation-based analyses are also carried out. These allow a physic-based modeling of the effects and can be used later on for an extrapolation of any resistance welding process with motion overlay. In this paper, first experimental and analytical considerations for the mechanical destruction of the oxide layer of aluminum are discussed. Subsequently, the developed extended simulation model is presented and compared according to the quality of simulation of the welding process with motion overlay. The simulation method used is a multiphysics FEM simulation with ANSYS.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kunze S (2014) Beitrag zur Erhöhung der Prozesssicherheit beim Punktschweißen und Punktschweißkleben von Aluminiumkarosseriewerkstoffen. Dissertation. Shaker Verlag, Aachen, Germany

  2. Heilmann S, Zwahr C, Knape A et al (2018) Improvement of the electrical conductivity between electrode and sheet in spot welding process by direct laser interference patterning. Adv Eng Mater 114:1700755. https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.201700755

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Heilmann S, Mathiszik C, Merx M, Müller J, Zschetzsche J, Ihlenfeldt S, Füssel U (2016) Numerical simulation strategies and test setup for resistance spot welding process with motion overlay. Weld World 61:35–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40194-016-0403-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Rippl P (2006) Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum elektrischen Punktschweißen(DE 102005001341 B3) https://www.freepatentsonline.com/DE102005001341B3.html. Accessed 14 May 2019

  5. Sigler DR, Schroth JG, Karagoulis MJ (2013) Electrode for spot welding. (US20130306604 A1) https://www.google.com/patents/US20130306604. Accessed 14 May 2019

  6. Sigler DR, Carlson BE, Janiak P (2013) A recently developed electrode design features multiple protruding rings that penetrate oxide layers by straining the aluminum sheet surface during welding. Weld J 92(6):64–72

  7. Hamedi M, Atashparva M (2017) A review of electrical contact resistance modeling in resistance spot welding. Weld World 61:269–290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40194-016-0419-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Wang SC, Wei PS (2001) Modeling dynamic electrical resistance during resistance spot welding. J Heat Transf 123(3):576. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1370502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Song Q, Zhang W, Bay N (2005) An experimental study determines the electrical contact resistance in resistance welding. Weld J 84(5):73S–76S

  10. Crinon E, Evans JT (1998) The effect of surface roughness, oxide film thickness and interfacial sliding on the electrical contact resistance of aluminium. Mater Sci Eng A 242(1–2):121–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-5093(97)00508-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. James PS, Chandler HW, Evans JT, Wen J, Browne DJ, Newton CJ (1997) The effect of mechanical loading on the contact resistance of coated aluminium. Mater Sci Eng A 230(1–2):194–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-5093(97)00020-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Deng L, Li Y-B, Carlson BE, Sigler DR (2018) Effects of electrode surface topography on aluminum resistance spot welding. Weld J 97(4):120–132. https://doi.org/10.29391/2018.97.011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Deutsche Norm DIN EN ISO 5821 (2009) Resistance welding - Spot welding electrode caps

  14. Ihlenfeldt S, Müller J, Merx M (2017) Widerstandspunktschweißen mit Bewegungsüberlagerung – Entwicklung einer Versuchseinrichtung als mechatronisches System. In: Bertram T, Corves B, Janschek K (eds) Fachtagung Mechatronik 2017: Dresden (09.03.-10.03.2017). Technische Universität, Dresden

    Google Scholar 

  15. Wan Z, Wang H-P, Wang M, Carlson BE, Sigler DR (2016) Numerical simulation of resistance spot welding of Al to zinc-coated steel with improved representation of contact interactions. Int J Heat Mass Transf 101:749–763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2016.05.023

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Wang B, Hua L, Wang X, Song Y, Liu Y (2015) Effects of electrode tip morphology on resistance spot welding quality of DP590 dual-phase steel. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 83:1917–1926. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-015-7703-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This research was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the project “Development of a methodology for simulation-based analysis of resistance spot welding processes with motion overlay on the example of aluminium materials” under the grant numbers GR1458/62-1 resp. FU307/11-1.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Manufacturing Technology, Chair of Joining Technology and Assembly, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Stefan Heilmann, David Köberlin, Jörg Zschetzsche & Uwe Füssel

  2. Institute of Machine tools and Control Engineering, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    Marcel Merx, Jens Müller & Steffen Ihlenfeldt

Authors
  1. Stefan Heilmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David Köberlin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Marcel Merx
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jens Müller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jörg Zschetzsche
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Steffen Ihlenfeldt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Uwe Füssel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefan Heilmann.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Recommended for publication by Commission III - Resistance Welding, Solid State Welding, and Allied Joining Process

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Heilmann, S., Köberlin, D., Merx, M. et al. Numerical and experimental analysis on the influence of surface layer on the resistance spot welding process for the aluminum alloys 5182 and 6016. Weld World 63, 1205–1220 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40194-019-00743-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40194-019-00743-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation