Development of a combined joining-forming process for aluminum-steel joints

Abstract

A modified process for joining dissimilar material combinations like steel with aluminum is invented by the Bremer Institut für angewandte Strahltechnik (BIAS). Within this process the low melting aluminum is heated up to the melting point and a wetting of the steel surface occurs. Simultaneously, a mechanical force is applied to realize a press-forming in such a way that an overlap is formed to a butt joint. Thereby, joints with minimized intermetallic phases should be realized, providing further improved mechanical properties compared to dissimilar material joint prepared by other technologies. Beside the description of the joining technology, this paper focuses on the metallographical characterization and first mechanical properties of the joints using this technology.