Nugget Formation and Dynamic Resistance in Resistance Spot Welding of Aluminum to Steel

Auto industry has employed resistance spot welding(RSW) to join steel sheets for structural rigidity of automobile body. Driven by the need to reduce weight and fuel consumption, car companies have been evaluating aluminum intensive vehicles(AIVs) as a way to reduce vehicle weight without downsizing. During the transition from all steel-construction vehicle body to aluminum intensive body, joining aluminum to steel sheets emerges as a serious contender in automobile body. This paper deals with application of transition material to RSW aluminum to steel. Placing transition material insert between the aluminum/steel interface was found very effective to overcome physical incompatibility between aluminum and steel. Use of transition insert allows for two separate weld nuggets to be formed in their respective aluminum/aluminum and steel/steel interfaces. This RSW processes was monitored with the aid of dynamic resistance sampling. Typical patterns in sampled dynamic resistance curves indicated formation of sound nugget. The growth of two separate nuggets was examined by micro-cross section test.