The ability to deploy a wide range of materials in a single comprehensive design gives engineers the freedom to be creative in solving weight related challenges. Dissimilar metal transition joints, made through the explosion welding process, are one of the material options all weight engineers should have in their 'toolbox'. Explosion welding has a long history of welding similar and dissimilar metals into one integrated material. Amongst the many uses of the product are structural transitions between highly dissimilar metals. Explosion welding can facilitate the design and fabrication of structures made from a wide range of metallic materials. It can also assist in improving current designs or preexisting joints made through other methods. The most common application may be the welding of aluminum to steel, but many other possible material combinations exist. This paper introduces the explosion welding process. It also covers some specific examples of dissimilar metal welding for light weighting and weight management in land, aerospace, and ocean based environments.
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