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Comparative Assessment of GI and GA Coated AHSS LME Sensitivity During Spot Welding

Vergleichende Bewertung der LME-Empfindlichkeit von GI- und GA-beschichtetem AHSS beim Punktschweißen

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Abstract

Liquid Metal Embrittlement (LME) is a complex phenomenon which may occur during spot welding of zinc-coated Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) developed for the Automotive market.

Zn or Zn-rich alloy in liquid state penetrates along the steel grain boundaries and may cause, depending on conditions, grains’ decohesion and cracks’ initiation and propagation under given mechanical stresses.

LME sensitivity depends on the steel microstructure and mechanical properties, its bulk and surface composition, the coating composition and the spot welding process itself.

In this study, a comparative assessment of conventional GalvanIzed (GI) and GalvAnnealed (GA) coatings in terms of LME behaviour has been done on the same sensitive AHSS material with the same welding process configuration and parameters. The intrinsic effect of the type of coating (GI vs GA) on the LME performance during spot welding could therefore be properly evaluated. It has been observed that no significant difference exists between both coatings.

Zusammenfassung

Flüssigmetallversprödung (Liquid Metal Embrittlement, LME) ist ein komplexes Phänomen, das beim Punktschweißen von zinkbeschichteten hochfesten Stählen (Advanced High Strength Steels, AHSS) für den Automobilmarkt auftreten kann.

Zn oder eine Zn-reiche Legierung in flüssigem Zustand dringt entlang der Korngrenzen des Stahls ein und kann, je nach den Bedingungen, eine Dekohäsion der Körner und die Entstehung und Ausbreitung von Rissen unter bestimmten mechanischen Belastungen verursachen.

Die LME-Empfindlichkeit hängt von der Mikrostruktur und den mechanischen Eigenschaften des Stahls, seiner Masse- und Oberflächenzusammensetzung, der Beschichtungszusammensetzung und dem Punktschweißverfahren selbst ab.

In dieser Studie wurde eine vergleichende Bewertung von konventionellen galvanisierten (GI) und galvanisch geglühten (GA) Beschichtungen in Bezug auf das LME-Verhalten an demselben empfindlichen AHSS-Material mit derselben Schweißprozesskonfiguration und denselben Parametern durchgeführt. Die Auswirkung der Art der Beschichtung (GI vs. GA) auf die LME-Leistung beim Punktschweißen konnte daher angemessen bewertet werden. Es wurde festgestellt, dass es keinen signifikanten Unterschied zwischen den beiden Beschichtungen gibt.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to warmly acknowledge all colleagues having contributed to this study, from both ArcelorMittal Global R&D Products Centre and CRM Group, for their very valuable work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ArcelorMittal Global R&D, Maizières-les-Metz, France

    D. Zapico Alvarez, Y. Benlatreche, M. Brossard, J. Giroux, C. Kaczynski, J.-M. Mataigne & C. Musik

  2. CRM Group, Liège, Belgium

    P. Gerkens

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  1. D. Zapico Alvarez
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  2. Y. Benlatreche
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  3. M. Brossard
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Correspondence to J.-M. Mataigne.

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Zapico Alvarez, D., Benlatreche, Y., Brossard, M. et al. Comparative Assessment of GI and GA Coated AHSS LME Sensitivity During Spot Welding. Berg Huettenmaenn Monatsh 166, 546–553 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00501-021-01166-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00501-021-01166-3

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