International scholarly and scientific research & innovation
Abstract
Nowadays, the reduction of CO2 emissions and the
decrease in energy consumption are the main aims of several
industries, especially in the automotive sector. To comply with the
increasingly restrictive regulations, the automotive industry is
constantly looking for innovative techniques to produce lighter, more
efficient, and less polluting vehicles. One of the latest technologies,
and still developing, is based on the fabrication of the body-in-white
and car parts through the stamping of aluminum Tailor Welded Blanks.
Tailor Welded Blanks (TWBs) are generally the combination of
two/three metal sheets with different thicknesses and/or mechanical
strengths, which are commonly butt-welded together by laser sources.
The use of aluminum TWBs has several advantages such as low
density and corrosion resistance adequate. However, their use is still
limited by the lower formability with respect to the parent materials
and the more intrinsic difficulty of laser welding of aluminum sheets
(i.e., internal porosity) that, although its use in automated industries is
constantly growing, remains a process to be further developed and
improved. This study has investigated the effect of the main laser
welding process parameters (laser power, welding speed, and focal
distance) on the mechanical properties of aluminum TWBs made of
6xxx series. The research results show that a narrow weldability
window can be found to ensure welded joints with high strength and
limited or no porosity