Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Tailor Welded Sheet Metal Blanks

Abstract

A tailor welded blank consist of two or more sheet metals which are welded together prior to forming. The sheets which are welded together may be different in size, shape and even in thickness also. The blanks may be also differing in sense of coating and material grade also. This different blanks are welded together to form in to one continuous blank. In industries since last long years the materials which are used for preparing tailor welded blanks in general are combinations of mild steel to stainless steel with different grades. Also the common materials which are used for making tailor welded blanks are generally aluminium alloys with different grades or it may be combination of aluminium and steel alloy sheets. Most tailor welded blanks today embody a multiple thickness design in order to eliminate the use of extra reinforcing components. The advantages of using tailor welded blanks are numerous, they ensure that the components are light, stronger, and provide required functionality at lower cost than parts made from monolithic pressed sheets, as well as improving structural integrity, safety and corrosion resistance in specific areas. In an automotive application, Tailor welded blanks eliminate the need for reinforcement, resulting in an overall reduction in vehicle body weight. The use of different strength or thickness in a single part can simplify the whole structure of a vehicle. Low car weight means improved fuel economy that is very important to today's energy consumption. Decrease of automobile parts number. This paper presents the tailor welded blanks of steel alloys tensile specimens are prepared and tested through uniaxial tensile test. Determined mechanical properties of tailor welded sheet metal blanks and also studies done on those properties.