The Effect of an Insert Metal on Seam Welds of Stainless Steel Foils

Abstract

Austenitic stainless steel foils having thicknesses of 100μm and 50μm were seam welded to make an seam bond with an insert metal of a Ni base amorphous foil. The weldability has been investigated in comparison with seam welds without the insert metal. Main results obtained are as follows: (1) The seam bonds of 100μm thick stainless steel foil were obtained even if the insert metal was not used, however, the seam bonds of 50μm thick stainless steel foil were obtained only when the weldings were performed with the insert metal. (2) When the amorphous foil was used as the insert metal, the welding current range that seam bonds were obtained was wide in comparison with the seam welding without the insert metal. (3) The microstructures of the seam bonds with the insert metal were divided into three types by the solidification morphology of melted zone of the insert metal and the stainless steel foil. (4) The maximum peel load of the seam bonds without the insert metal largely fluctuated, however, that of the seam bonds with the insert metal hardly fluctuated. (5) When the peel test and the tensile shear test were carried out for the seam bonds, the fractures occurred in the stainless steel foils near the seam bonds. © 1994, JAPAN WELDING SOCIETY. All rights reserved.