Influence of the jet velocity on the weld quality of magnetic pulse welded dissimilar sheet joints of aluminum and steel

Abstract

The object of this investigation is to determine the influence of the jet velocity on the weld quality of sheet joints produced via magnetic pulse welding. The use of a suitable high-speed camera system enables to observe the jet in detail, to determine its velocity during the collision process and to compare them to the achieved qualities (tensile strength, weld seam characteristics) of the welded samples. The results show that the quality of the weld generally correlates with the jet velocity, however the mere consideration of its velocity proves not to be a promising approach for predicting a specific weld quality. It becomes evident that the jet thickness has to be considered, since quality-critical characteristics of the weld seam appears in greater extent when the jet thickness increases.