3rd Lightweight Vehicle Manufacturing 2016: Joining, Forming and Quality Assurance http://www.global-lightweight-vehicle-manufacturing.com/

1. February 24-25, 2016 - Detroit, Michigan,
FRANCOIS NADEAU
Technical Leader Aluminum Assembling Technologies
National Research Council Canada
3RD LIGHT WEIGHT VEHICLE MANUFACTURING 2016
To be honest, I think this is a question that OEM’s are the best to answer.
However, based on the joining R&D work we do with industrial partners,
clearly friction stir spot welding is gaining interest these days including
every process variants (single spot, pattern-spot, refill or swing) as a
replacement technique to mechanical fastening or adhesive bonding
in Al to Al joining or dissimilar material joining such as Al to press-
hardened steels (Usibor), Al to Mg & Al to composite. These solutions
have to be cost-effective so the effort needs to be put at increasing tool
life & durability, even in Al to Al joining. Also, reduction of robot payload
to allow stitch welding could be the key to increase the versatility of the
robotized cell.
When dealing with friction stir welding in a robotized environment, the
loads are generally very high mostly when you increase the material
thickness in extrusions and could limit the applicability of the process
or the productivity (travel speed). Combining an external heat source to
the friction stir welding process lowers mostly the lateral & vertical loads
which could allow up to 50% reduction & increase travel speed by 30%
even using a low density heat source without compromising much the
mechanical properties. In Al/Steel joining, the use of an external heat
source leads to a better material flow at the Al/Steel interface that allows
good joining at higher travel speeds (1.75m/min achieved so far) again
using a low density heat source.
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The introduction of weldable high strength Al alloys (low-copper 7xxx
series or modified 6xxx) to be used in structural applications, mostly
by hot stampings. By this process, the final mechanical tensile strength
(over 400MPa) or formability are high enough to compete with steel
solutions. Tailor blanks could also be applied in order to light weight.
It was my first time at this summit last year & I was greatly impressed
with the quality & competency of the speakers and how easy it
was to chat with them afterwards. I’m still looking forward for that
particular opportunity to meet the best in the business and keep
on tracks with what we are doing. Technically speaking, I will listen
carefully to Mrs. Forsmak & Mr. Maddela during the event.
WHAT MATERIALS/TECHNOLOGIES DO YOU SEE HAVING THE
MOST POTENTIAL WHEN ENABLING OEM’S TO ACHIEVE BETTER
QUALITY RESULTS AT LOWER COSTS?
WHAT ARE THE KEY BENEFITS OF USING AN EXTERNAL HEAT
SOURCE COMBINED WITH FRICTION STIR WELDING TO
MINIMIZE FORCES IN ALUMINUM EXTRUSIONS AND INCREASE
JOINT RESISTANCE IN AI/STEEL JOINING
WHAT LIGHT WEIGHTING SOLUTIONS ARE YOU KEEPING A
CLOSE EYE ON AT THE MOMENT?WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AT THIS
YEARS 3RD LIGHTWEIGHT VEHICLE MANUFACTURING 2016
REDUCING THE COST OF MULTI MATERIAL JOINING & FORMING AND MAXIMISING QUALITY
ASSURANCE
PRE-CONFERENCE
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