Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The effects of interface gap on weld strength during overlapping fiber laser welding of AISI 304 stainless steel and AZ31 magnesium alloys

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper reports on an experimental study involving examination of the effects of an interfacial gap in the range of 0–0.3 mm on the weld strength and weld appearance of lap welds produced by laser welding. AISI 304 stainless steel and AZ31 magnesium alloy joints were processed separately using an IPG YLR-1000 fiber laser. The weld joint strengths were mechanically tested by both tensile shear and T-peel testing. The test results indicate that an adequate amount of interface gap significantly improves weld strength and surface appearance for both AISI 304 stainless steel and the AZ31 magnesium alloy. In addition, it is shown that porosity formation in laser welding AZ31 magnesium alloy can be mitigated by adding an optimal interface gap. Finding the optimum gap size can maximize the quality of lap welds within the constraints of the laser equipment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jou M (2003) Real time monitoring weld quality of resistance spot welding for the fabrication of sheet metal assemblies. J Mater Process Technol 132(1):102–113

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  2. Caiazzo F, Curcio F, Daurelio G, Minutolo FMC (2004) Ti6Al4V sheets lap and butt joints carried out by CO2 laser: mechanical and morphological characterization. J Mater Process Technol 149(1):546–552

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Newton T (2012) Stainless steel application. http://www.worldstainless.org/Files/issf/non-image-files/PDF/Automotiveapplications.pdf. Accessed 12 July 2016

  4. Kulekci MK (2008) Magnesium and its alloys applications in automotive industry. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 39(9–10):851–865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Yan J, Gao M, Zeng X (2010) Study on microstructure and mechanical properties of 304 stainless steel joints by TIG, laser and laser-TIG hybrid welding. Opt Lasers Eng 48(4):512–517

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Zambon A, Bonollo F (1994) Rapid solidification in laser welding of stainless steels. Mater Sci Eng A 178(1):203–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Nedjad SH, Moghaddam YZ, Vazirabadi AM, Shirazi H, Ahmadabadi MN (2011) Grain refinement by cold deformation and recrystallization of bainite and acicular ferrite structures of C–Mn steels. Mater Sci Eng A 528(3):1521–1526

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Zhang L, Lu JZ, Luo KY, Feng AX, Dai FZ, Zhong JS, Luo M, Zhang YK (2013) Residual stress, micro-hardness and tensile properties of ANSI 304 stainless steel thick sheet by fiber laser welding. Mater Sci Eng A 561:136–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Anawa EM, Olabi AG (2008) Optimization of tensile strength of ferritic/austenitic laser-welded components. Opt Lasers Eng 46(8):571–577

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Benyounis KY, Olabi AG, Hashmi MSJ (2008) Multi-response optimization of CO2 laser-welding process of austenitic stainless steel. Optics Laser Technol 40(1):76–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. P’ng D, Molian P (2008) Q-switch Nd:YAG laser welding of AISI 304 stainless steel foils. Mater Sci Eng A 486(1):680–685

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Liao HT, Chen ZW (2013) A study on fiber laser micro-spot welding of thin stainless steel using response surface methodology and simulated annealing approach. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 67(5–8):1015–1025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Cao X, Jahazi M, Immarigeon JP, Wallace W (2006) A review of laser welding techniques for magnesium alloys. J Mater Process Technol 171(2):188–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Quan YJ, Chen ZH, Gong XS, Yu ZH (2008) Effects of heat input on microstructure and tensile properties of laser welded magnesium alloy AZ31. Mater Charact 59(10):1491–1497

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Sanders PG, Keske JS, Leong KH, Kornecki G (1999) High power Nd:YAG and CO2 laser welding of magnesium. J Laser Appl 11(2):96–103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Chowdhury SM, Chen DL, Bhole SD, Powidajko E, Weckman DC, Zhou Y (2011) Microstructure and mechanical properties of fiber-laser-welded and diode-laser-welded AZ31 magnesium alloy. Metall Mater Trans A 42(7):1974–1989

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Yang RT, Chen ZW (2013) A study on fiber laser lap welding of thin stainless steel. Int J Precis Eng Manuf 14(2):207–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Chowdhury SH, Chen DL, Bhole SD, Powidajko E, Weckman DC, Zhou Y (2012) Fiber laser welded AZ31 magnesium alloy: the effect of welding speed on microstructure and mechanical properties. Metall Mater Trans A 43(6):2133–2147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Harooni M, Carlson B, Strohmeier BR, Kovacevic R (2014) Pore formation mechanism and its mitigation in laser welding of AZ31B magnesium alloy in lap joint configuration. Mater Des 58:265–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Bailey NS, Tan W, Shin YC (2015) A parametric study on laser welding of magnesium alloy AZ31 by a fiber laser. Trans. of the ASME, J Manuf Sci Eng 137(4):041003

  21. Meng W, Li Z, Huang J, Wu Y, Cao R (2013) Effect of gap on plasma and molten pool dynamics during laser lap welding for T-joints. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 69(5–8):1105–1112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Luo M, Shin YC (2015) Vision-based weld pool boundary extraction and width measurement during keyhole fiber laser welding. Opt Lasers Eng 64:59–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Funk ER, Rieber LJ (1985) Handbook of welding. Breton Publishers, Albany, NY

    Google Scholar 

  24. Liu L, Wang H, Song G (2007) Microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties of laser weld bonding of magnesium alloy to aluminum alloy. J Mater Sci 42(2):565–572

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. You BS, Kim MH, Park WW, Chung IS (2001) Change in oxide film characteristics of magnesium alloy by the addition of calcium and minor element, in: Proceedings of the International Conference on Light Materials for Transportation System (LIMAT-2001), Pusan, Korea, pp. 943–948

  26. Lamoreaux RH, Hildenbrand DL, Brewer L (1987) High-temperature vaporization behavior of oxides II. Oxides of Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, B, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Hg. J Phys Chem Ref Data 16(3):419–443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Sibillano T, Ancona A, Berardi V, Schingaro E, Basile G, Lugarà PM (2006) A study of the shielding gas influence on the laser beam welding of AA5083 aluminium alloys by in-process spectroscopic investigation. Opt Lasers Eng 44(10):1039–1051

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Hoffman J, Szymański Z (2004) Time-dependent spectroscopy of plasma plume under laser welding conditions. J Phys D Appl Phys 37(13):1792

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Laser-based Manufacturing, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    Kyung-Min Hong & Yung C. Shin

Authors
  1. Kyung-Min Hong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yung C. Shin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yung C. Shin.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hong, KM., Shin, Y.C. The effects of interface gap on weld strength during overlapping fiber laser welding of AISI 304 stainless steel and AZ31 magnesium alloys. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 90, 3685–3696 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-016-9681-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-016-9681-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation