Joining, Laser Welding, Press Hardened Steels
This studyR-25, conducted by the Centre for Advanced Materials Joining, Department of Mechanical & Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, and ArcelorMittal Global Research, utilized 2mm thick 22MnB5 steel with three different coating thicknesses, given in Table 1. The fiber laser welder used 0.3mm core diameter, 0.6mm spot size, and 200mm beam focal length. The trials were done with a 25° head angle with no shielding gas but high pressure air was applied to protect optics. Welding passes were performed using 3-6kW power increasing by 1 kW and 8-22m/min welding speed increasing by 4m/min. Compared to the base metal composition of mostly ferrite with colonies of pearlite, laser welding created complete martensitic composition in the FZ and fully austenized HAZ while the ICHAZ contained martensite in the intergranular regions where austenization occurred.
Table 1: Galvanneal Coatings.R-25
Figure 1: Base metal microstructure(P=pearlite, F=ferrite, Γ=Fe3Zn10, Γ1=Fe5Zn21 and δ=FeZn10).R-25
Figure 2: Welded microstructure — (a) overall view, (b) HAZ, (c) ICHAZ at low and (d) high magnifications, (e) UCHAZ (f) FZ, and (g) coarse-lath martensitic structure (where M; martensite, P: pearlite, F: ferrite).R-25
Given the lower boiling temperature of Zn at 900 °C as compared to Fe, the interaction of the laser with the Zn plasma that forms upon welding affects energy deliverance and depth of penetration. Lower coating weight of (100 g/m2) resulted in a larger process window as compared to (140 g/m2). Increased coating weight will reduce process window and need higher power and lower speeds in order to achieved proper penetration as shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4. Depth of penetration due to varying welding parameters was developed:
d=(H-8.6+0.08C)/(0.09C-4.8)
[d= depth of penetration(mm), H= heat input per unit thickness(J/mm2), C= coating weight(g/m2)]
Given the reduction in power deliverance, with an increase in coating weight there will be an expected drop in FZ and HAZ width. Regardless of the coating thickness, the HAZ maintained its hardness between BM and FZ. No direct correlation between coating thickness and YS, UTS, and elongation to fracture levels were observed. This is mainly due to the failure location being in the BM.
Figure 3: Process map of the welding window at coating weight of (a) 100 g/m2, (b) 120 g/m2, and (c) 140 g/m2.R-25
Figure 4: Heat input per unit thickness vs depth of penetration.R-25
Forming Modes
Stretching is the sheet metal forming process where the punch which creates the part shape forces the sheet metal to thin since lock beads prevent metal flow inward from the flange area. In contrast with drawing, significant metal thinning occurs in stretching, especially in the biaxial tension mode. The biaxial increase in surface area reduces the metal thickness, maintaining the constancy of volume. The thinning soon reaches the onset of the local neck and failure as defined by the appropriate forming limit curve. The steel property that improves stretching is the strain hardening exponent, or n-value.
Stretchability, or the ability for a sheet metal to be stretched with no metal flowing from the flange or binder, often is assessed by the hemispherical dome test. Here, a hemispherical punch (usually with a 100 mm diameter) deforms a fully clamped blank. This ensures pure biaxial stretch without metal flowing from the blank into the deformation zone (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Stretch forming generated by a hemispherical punch stretching a locked circular blank.
Comparing the ratio of maximum dome height to punch diameter (H/d) is one way to view the results. Figure 2 illustrates a typical test output. Note the maximum dome height (H/d) at failure decreased as the yield strength increased and the n-value decreased.
Figure 2: Dome stretch tests of 1mm thick steel using a 100 mm hemispherical punch and a clamped blank.C-9
Additional stretch tests are possible with the hemispherical dome tester other than the dome height at failure shown in Figure 2. The limiting dome height (LDH) test stretches a rectangular steel strip which is locked in the longitudinal direction (Figure 3). Typically, a conventional rust preventive oil coats the blanks. Strips of different width are tested, with a circular lock bead preventing metal flow from the binder in the regions where the blank dimensions are large enough. The output of this test is the maximum dome height at failure. Figure 3 shows the achievable hemispherical dome height is substantially higher for the TRIP steel compared to the HSLA steel grade of equivalent tensile strength.
Figure 3: Limiting Dome Height is greater for TRIP than HSLA at the same tensile strength.T-2
The same tooling, steels, and lubricant from Figure 3 generated the thinning strains in Figure 4. Instead of forming to failure, the 50 mm radius hemispherical punch stretched the dome height to only 25 mm for both steels. The high n-value of TRIP steels minimizes strain gradients and reduces localizes thinning, helping to delay necking and form more complex geometries.
Figure 4: TRIP steel experiences less thinning than HSLA steel of the same tensile strength when formed to a constant dome height.T-2
The Limiting Dome Height test results for EDDS (vacuum-degassed interstitial-free) steel and three Advanced High Strength Steel grades are in Figure 5. Instead of plotting the various dome heights (as in Figure 3) to find the minimum value, Figure 5 simply shows the minimum value for each steel. TWIP (Twinning Induced Plasticity) steel has unique properties for stretchability and total elongation. Stretchability exceeds even that of EDDS IF steel.
Figure 5: Limiting Dome Height values reflect relative stretchability of three AHSS compared with a low strength IF steel.P-2
Citations
Citation:
B-5. E. Billur, “Heating Helps Forming, Part 1: Hot Stamping of High-Strength Steels,” MetalForming Magazine, August 2020, Precision Metalforming Association.
Citations
Citation:
A-5. Auto/Steel Partnership, “Automotive Design Guidelines for Steel Stampings: Design for Manufacturability,” Program, Report AZ002 003, January 1993.
Citations
Citation:
A-1. E. O. Arman and T. Hebesberger, “Development of a TBF980 MPa class steel to meet challenges of weight reduction & stampability,” Presented at Materials in Car Body Engineering 2017, Bad Nauheim, Germany, May 17, 2017.
