Influences of Various Parameters on the Weld Spot Diameter during Resistance Spot Welding of the Aluminum Alloy EN AW-6014

Click here and insert your abstract text. Resistance spot welding (RSW) is one of the dominant joining processes in “body-in-white” of the automotive industry and is mainly used for steel materials. Currently, RSW is also increasingly being used for aluminum alloys. However, the welding results vary greatly when welding aluminum. As less research has been carried out into the welding of aluminum than steel, the causes of various aspects, including these variations, are not yet fully understood. A partially automated robot welding cell was set up at MPA to address various industry-related issues and test them under laboratory conditions. Important welding parameters such as electrode force and welding current can be adjusted. The weld samples are examined using destructive testing for the size of the weld spot and the presence of defects. Since the spot diameter is considered the main quality criterion in industry, the study presented here also examines the spot diameter in more detail. This study demonstrated the influence of welding current, electrode force, adhesive and sheet thickness on the spot diameter.