Aluminum alloy to steel welding process
US10166627B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 1, 2014 |
| Grant date | Jan 1, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 24, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB23K2103/20
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A resistance spot welding method may involve spot welding a workpiece stack-up that includes a steel workpiece and an aluminum alloy workpiece that overlap one another to provide a faying interface. A pair of opposed welding electrodes are pressed against opposite sides of the workpiece stack-up with one welding electrode contacting the aluminum alloy workpiece and the other welding electrode contacting the steel workpiece. The welding electrodes are constructed so that, when an electrical current is passed between the electrodes and through the workpiece stack-up, the electrical current has a greater current density in the steel workpiece than in the aluminum alloy workpiece to thereby concentrate heat within a smaller zone in the steel workpiece. Concentrating heat within a smaller zone in the steel workpiece is believed to modify the solidification behavior of the resultant molten aluminum alloy weld pool in a desirable way.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.