• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.90-98
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• 2011

Al-Si coated Boron steel and Zn coated DP steel were welded using DISK laser and the microstructure and hardness of the weld were investigated. Full penetration was obtained, when the welding speed was lower than 4m/min. In the specimen welded with laser power of 3 kW and welding speed of 2 m/min, the hardness was the highest in the heat affect zone in the boron steel (HAZ-B) and that of the heat affect zone in the DP steel (HAZ-D) was lower than HAZ-B. The hardness of fusion zone was in between those of HAZ-B and HAZ-D. The decreased hardness from each HAZ to base metal(BM) could be explained that ferrite contents increases when access to the BM. The variation of hardness in the welds could be explained by the difference of microstructure, that is, full martensite in HAZ-B, mixture of martensite and bainite in the fusion zone, and the mixture of martensite, ferrite and bainite in HAZ-D.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.224-232
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• 2012

In this study, the effect of hot-stamping heat treatment on the microstructure and hardness of TWB(Tailor Welded Blank) laser joints in Al-Si-coated boron steel and Zn-coated DP(Dual Phase)590 steel was investigated. In the TWB joints without heat treatment, hardness profiles showed local hardness deviation near the fusion zone. However, there was no hardness deviation in the heat treated specimen and its hardness was higher than that of the one without the heat treatment, due to a fully martensite microstructure. In the TWB joints of both the boron and DP steels, the maximum hardnesses were observed at the HAZ(Heat Affected Zone) near the base metal, and the hardness decreased gradually to the base metal. In the heat treated joints, the hardnesses of the HAZ and the base metal of the boron steel side were similar to the maximum hardness of the weld, while those of the HAZ and the base metal of the DP steel side were higher than the maximum hardness.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.455-462
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• 2012

Al-Si coated boron steel and Zn coated DP steel plates were laser-welded to manufacture a Tailor Welded Blank (TWB) for a car body frame. Hot-stamping heat treatment ($900^{\circ}C$, 5 min) was applied to the TWB weld, and the microstructural change and transformation mechanism were investigated in the Al-rich area near the bond line of the Al-Si coated steel side. There was Al-rich area with a single phase, $Fe_3(Al,Si)$, which was transformed to ${\alpha}-Fe$ (Ferrite) after the heat treatment. It could be explained that the $Fe_3(Al,Si)$ phase was transformed to ${\alpha}-Fe$ during heat treatment at $900^{\circ}C$ for 5 min and the resultant ${\alpha}-Fe$ phase was not transformed by rapid cooling. Before the heat treatment, the microstructures around the $Fe_3(Al,Si)$ phase consisted of martensite, bainite and ${\alpha}-Fe$ while they were transformed to martensite and ${\delta}-Fe$ after the heat treatment. Due to the heat treatment, Al was diffused to the $Fe_3(Al,Si)$ and this resulted in an increase of Al content to 0.7 wt% around the Al-rich area. If the weld was held at $900^{\circ}C$ for 5 min it was transformed to a mixture of austenite (${\gamma}$) and ${\delta}-Fe$, and only ${\gamma}$ was transformed to the martensite by water cooling while the ${\delta}-Fe$ was remained unchanged.