Spot Welding of Aluminum Alloys Using Servogun

Lim, Chang-Shik; Chang, Hee-Seok

Journal of KWJS 2004;22(4):43-49.
Published online September 15, 2004.

[기술논문] 서보건을 이용한 알루미늄 합금의 저항 점용접

Spot Welding of Aluminum Alloys Using Servogun

Abstract

Conventional method for electrode force application in resistance spot welding(RSW) processes is to use pneumatic cylinder. However, due to its inherent problems in pneumatic power system such as compressibility of air and poor transient response characteristics, new electrode force system with servo control are recently introduced in RSW machine. This machine is called "servogun". The purpose of this study is to evaluate performance of servogun in case of spot welding of aluminum alloy. Aluminum alloy(A5052) sheets are spot welded using pneumatic gun and servogun. Both results are compared by means of macro cross-section etching test and tensile shear strength test. Numerous previous research have reported nugget with many voids and cracks are not uncommon defects in spot welds with aluminum alloy. The experimental results show similar defects in case of pneumatic gun. In contrast, use of servogun considerably reduced generation of voids and cracks. In case of step-wise increased forging force at the end of welding cycle with sevogun. crack-free and void-free nuggets have been observed. The performance of servogun has been also verified by series of tensile shear test. Higher strength values have been achieved with servogun in comparison to that of pneumatic gun.