• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.100-110
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• 1998

In this paper, the laser weldability of thin gage steels for automobile application is discussed. Welding was carried out with a high power carbon dioxide laser system, and the laser energy was concentrated through a plano-convex lens. Test results showed that the joint gap in the butt welding proved to be one of the critical conditions for an acceptable weld. In the case where the ratio of the gap clearance to the material thickness was slightly bigger than optimal value, the weld strength was reduced showing weld metal fracture. It was possible to obtained a weld penetration ratio of 0.91 when the vertical offset ratio was controlled to be 0.4 or smaller. Results also demonstrated that the weld strength of the lap joint was influenced by travel speed. At the travel speeds lower than 37 mm/s, the weld strength indicated higher value than that of class A recommendation strength of a resistance spot weld based on the KS code. It was clear that the complicated effect of specimen alignment should be considered so as to make a sound weld with high integrity when the laser process was applied to the long weld line.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.283-293
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• 2001

Laser welded tailored blanks(TB) are increasingly used in automotive parts. Among these, TB side panel has forming difficulties in stretch flanging areas such as front and center pillar lower region. To avoid splits in the stretch flanging areas, Proper design of blank shape and drawbeads are essential In this study, the forming simulaton is carried out to investigate the influences of blank shape and drawbeads on stretch flange formability of different thickness TB. And an optimization procedure including the effects of both the blank design and drawbeads is presented. The optimization procedure proposed in this study is expected to be effectively used in blank and die design of TB side panel.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 1999

In this study, side panels were developed using the laser-welded tailored blank (T.B.) of both the same thickness and different thickness. At first, the formability of the same thickness T.B. was investigated to compare with one of the non-welded panel with respect to weldline movement and strain distribution in blank during the stamping process. Based on these results, we determined the weld line positions and the die step for T.B. forming of the blanks composed of different thickness combination. Then we made some stamping tryouts with selected types of blanks to investigate the formability of T.B. of the different thickness. During the tryouts, wrinkles were found in the a-pillar lower region which is under the deformation mode of the shrink flange. In the b-pillar region, fractures were also found. These defects have been reduced and corrected by controlling the blank design, the die faces and process parameters.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.23-35
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• 1998

In order to analyze the tensile deformation characteristics of laser welded tailored blanks. laser welded blanks of different thikness and strength combinations were prepared and tensile tests were done. The tensile elongation along the direction perpendicular to weld line of laser welded blanks was reduced as increasing the deformation restraining force (strength X thicknes) ratio between two welded sheets and fracture occurred at weaker side of base sheets if void ration of welded sheets and fracture occurred at weaker side of base sheets if void ratio of weld section was less than 45% The tensile elongation along weld line reached above 90% of the elongation of base material if welding was done perfectly. Total elongation along the direction perpendicular to weld line was able to be predicted by force equilibrium and power law behavior of base sheets and it was related with the deformation of stronger sheet and formability of weaker side.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.36-48
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• 1998

In order to analyze the stretch flange forming characteristics of tailored blanks. laser welded blanks of different thickness and strength combinations were prepared and hole expansion tests were done. The stretch flange formability of laser welded blanks was reduced as increasing the deformation restraining force($strength{\times}thickness$) ratio between two welded sheets. Simulation of stretch forming mode deformation and comparson with experimental results showed that the stretch flange formabili-ty was influenced not only by the difference of the deformation restraining forces between two base sheets but also by the difference of the deformation restraining forces between base sheet and weld. Therefore the stretch flange formability was reduced more rapidly than tensile elongation as increas-ing the deformation restraining force ration. It was also found that simulation of stretch flange forming was more accurate when material properties of weld was given.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.354-363
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• 1998

In order to analyze the stretch forming characteristics of tailored blanks, laser welded blanks of different thickness and strength combinations were prepared and stretching tests were done. The stretching formability of laser welded blanks was reduced as increasing the deformation restraining force ($strength{\times}thickness$) ratio between two welded sheets. Weld line movement was attributed to strain concentration at weaker sheets and resulted in fracture at weaker sid, so that fracture could be predicted by the forming limit of the weak sheet. In the case of a welded blank with the similar deformation restraining force rations between two welded sheets, crack occurred at weld and its forming limit was about 15% less than the base sheet. The effects of lubrication and weld line position on stretch-ing formability were also investigated by experiments. Lower friction did not always give better formability for tailored blanks. Stretching formability was observed to be improved as increasing the area of weak sheet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.7-13
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• 2000

Forming characteristics of tailored blank are mostly effected by the welding method. Recently, laser welding is widely used for the tailored blank. However, tensile and forming characteristics vary due to welding conditions such as welding speed, heat flux etc. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the effect of welding speed on the tensile and forming characteristics of laser welded tailored blank. For this purpose, tailored blank specimens with different welding speed were prepared and tensile tests were performed. Also forming tests such as LDH and OSU test, were performed to evaluate the effect of welding speed on the forming characteristics. Finally, forming limit diagrams were obtained for different welding speed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 1998.06a
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• pp.121-130
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• 1998

In order to analyze the forming characteristics of laser welded tailored blanks, laser welded blanks of different thickness and strength combinations were prepared and tensile, stretching, stretch flanging and deep drawing tests were done. The tensile elongation perpendicular to the weld line, stretching and stretch flanging formability decreased with increasing the deformation restraining force (strength ${\times}$ thickness) ratio between two welded sheets. The tensile elongation along weld line reached a value above 90% of the single sheet's elongation. Stretch flanging formability was reduced to approximately 10% of the single sheet value when the deformation restraining force ratio between two welded sheets was increased to two. Weld line movement of deep drawing test specimens was also affected by the strength ratio of the combined sheets, the weld line location and forming conditions. In all forming modes of tailored blanks, excessive weld line movement resulted from strain concentrations at the weaker sheet and resulted in fracture of the weaker side.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.77-87
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• 1998

This paper deals with the effect of laser welding parameters on the weld formation. Thin steels for automotive application were prepared so as to be welded with high power carbon dioxide laser system. Major process parameters were position of focus and travel speed. The effect of shielding gas was also discussed by employing the high speed photometry. Test results showed that the optimal position of focus varied in accordance with the joint configuration; bead-on-plate, butt or lap welding. It was recommended that the position of focus for the lap welding be located at slightly inner part of the material to be welded. In this case, however, it was noticeable that the weld penetration ratio, d/t$_{0}$ dropped drastically at the critical region. Results also demonstrated that both the bead width and penetration reduced as the travel speed increased. The penetration ratio showed two distinct regions; stabilized zone at the lower range of the travel spped and sudden drop zone at the higher range of travel speed. Lower limit of the penetration for acceptable weld was proved to be about 90% of the parent metal thickness based on the physical properties of the weld. Mixed gas application for both the shielding of molten metal and laser induced plasma control was recommended as far as the penetration was concerned.d.