Performance of tailor welded blanks using automotive high-strength steel sheets for practical use. Study of tailor welded blanks using automotive high-strength steel sheets (2nd report)

摘要

To expand industrial applications of tailor welded blanks using high-strength steel sheets, this paper describes three investigations from the practical application perspective: base metal properties suitable for fabrication of tailor welded blanks; effect of welding conditions on formability; fatigue properties of welds. The results obtained may be summarized as follows: 1 To assure good formability when the principal strain is applied in the weld line direction, suitable steels to be used for tailor welded blanks are those with high base metal elongation by laser welding and those with low base metal C and Mn contents and resistance to weld hardening by plasma arc welding. 2 When the principal strain is applied perpendicular to the weld line, there is little need to consider base metal properties during laser welding. During plasma arc welding, suitable steels are those with a chemistry that resists weld hardening and HAZ softening.