• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Laser Processing Conference
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• 1999.05a
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• pp.29-32
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• 1999

The material properties of laser welding zone such as strength coefficient, work-hardening exponent, and plastic anisotropic ratio are analytically obtained from those of base metals based on the tensile tests. . The finite element formulation is developed for predicting strain distributions and weld line movements in the forming processes of laser welded blank. The welding zone(WZ) is modelled with the several, narrow finite elements whose material characteristics are based on the experimental results and the analytical equations. In order to show an application of the developed weld element the stamping process of auto-body door inner panel is simulated. FEM predictions are compared and showed good agreements with experimental observations.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.354-363
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• 1998

In order to analyze the stretch forming characteristics of tailored blanks, laser welded blanks of different thickness and strength combinations were prepared and stretching tests were done. The stretching formability of laser welded blanks was reduced as increasing the deformation restraining force ($strength{\times}thickness$) ratio between two welded sheets. Weld line movement was attributed to strain concentration at weaker sheets and resulted in fracture at weaker sid, so that fracture could be predicted by the forming limit of the weak sheet. In the case of a welded blank with the similar deformation restraining force rations between two welded sheets, crack occurred at weld and its forming limit was about 15% less than the base sheet. The effects of lubrication and weld line position on stretch-ing formability were also investigated by experiments. Lower friction did not always give better formability for tailored blanks. Stretching formability was observed to be improved as increasing the area of weak sheet.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 2000

The new FLD of the laser welded blank, which includes FLCs of welded zone and base metals, is introduced. For the forming limits of welded zone, the hemispherical dome punch tests were performed with various widths of asymmetric specimen. The FLC0 as well as the dome height at fracture associated with various specimen widths in the same and different thickness combinations were found to see the formability depending on thickness combinations. In order to show the application of the new FLD, the measured strains of squared cup drawing and simulated strains of door inner panel stamping were compared with those of FLCs. The successful prediction of fracture in the applications reveals that the forming limits of welded zone and base metals should be separately found for more accurate evaluation of the formability and workability of the laser welded blank.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.72-75
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• 1997

In this paper, the forming limits of laser welded blank sheets are introduced, obtained from a tensile test and a hemispherical dome punch test. Especially, the forming limit diagram(FLD) on the heat affected zone with a width 2.54mm is emphasized. Also, the experimental experiences in finding specific strain conditions are discussed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers Conference
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• 1996.03a
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• pp.159-164
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• 1996

For the purpose of establishing laser welding condition(laser power, welding speed and beam focus) and of evaluating tailor welded blank for three kinds of thin steel sheets of SPCC, SK5M and SUS304 using in the thin plate structure such as automobile, train and so on. Their $CO_2$ laser weldability were primarily tested under various welding condition. SPCC and SUS304 thin sheets showed good weldability under some welding condition. But, high carbon steel sheet SK5M needs heat treatment after welding to obtain higher tensile strength and ductility of the welded joint. And next, laser welding condition. Butt-welded specimens were not nearly broken at weld bead. However, base material were ruptured in the direction of circumference. The forming depths by tailor weld bead. However, base material were ruptured in the direction of circumference. The forming depths by tailor welded blank were SPCC+SPCC=22~25mm, SUS304+SUS304=25~43mm and SK5M+SK5M=13~17mm.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.4-10
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• 1998

A basic research for tailored blank welding between mild steel and Zn-coated steel was carried out with $CO_2$ laser beam. The materials used in this work were low carbon steel sheet with a thickness of 1.2mm and Zn-coated steel sheet with the same thickness and 6.3$\mu$m Zn coating. Experiments were carried out by applying the Taguchi method in order to obtain optimized conditions for the application of tailored blank laser welding method in practical manufacturing process. Optical microscopy, XRD, SEM and TEM analysis were performed to observe microstructures and to determine the solidification mode of welded zone. Also mechanical properties were measured by microhardness test tensile test and Erichsen test in order to evaluate the formability of welded specimen. There was no trapped Zn in the fusion zone, and the phases in this region consisted of polygonal ferrite, quasi-polygonal ferrite, banitic ferrite and martensite. The elongation value of welded specimen was more than 80% of that value in the substrate and LDH value was more than 90% of that value in the substrate metal.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Technology of Plasticity Conference
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• 1999.03a
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• pp.14-17
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• 1999

The finite element formulation is developed for predicting strain distributions and weld line movements in the forming processes of laser welded blank. The welded zone(WZ) is modelled with several narrow finite elements whose material characteristics are analytically obtained from those of base metals based on the tensile tests. In order to show the reliability and effectiveness of weld element the forming process of hemispherical dome stretching and auto-body door inner panel stamping are simulated FEM predictions show good agreements with experimental observations.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.120-126
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• 2006

In this paper, we investigated the characteristics of fatigue fracture on TB(Tailored Blank) weldment by comparing the fatigue crack propagation characteristics of base metal with those of TB welded sheet used for vehicle body panels. We also investigated the influence of center crack on the fatigue characteristic of laser weld sheet of same thickness. We conducted an experiment on fatigue crack propagation on the base metal specimen of 1.2mm thickness of cold-rolled metal sheet(SPCSD) and 2.0mm thickness of hot-rolled metal sheet(SAPH440) and 1.2+2.0mm TB specimen. We also made an experiment on fatigue crack propagation on 2.0+2.0mm and 1.2+1.2mm thickness TB specimen which had center crack. The characteristics of fatigue crack growth on the base metal were different from those on 1.2+2.0mm thickness TB specimen. The fatigue crack growth rate of the TB welded specimens is slower in low stress intensity factor range$({\Delta}K)$ region and faster in high ${\Delta}K$ region than that of the base metal specimens.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.23-29
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• 2002

As automotive manufacturers have taken a growing more interest in tailored sheet metals for improving the rigidity, weight reduction, crash durability, and cost saving application of the tailored sheet metals to automotive bodies has been resently increased greatly. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of fatigue crack initiation behavior of laser welded sheet use for vehicle body panel. We experimented three types of specimens which were machined of the same base metal : one is 1.4㎜ thick, another is 1.6㎜ thick, the others is laser welded of the 1.4mm thick specimen and 1.6㎜ thick specimen. The results indicated that laser welded metal (1.4＋1.6㎜) is the best one for fatigue strength and fatigue life.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2004

This work was attempted to join SCP sheet and STS304 sheet by using Nd:YAC laser beam. SCP sheet has good formability and low cost, while STS304 has excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties in high temp. In this experiment, butt joint type was used to develop the tailored blank welding for dissimilar steel. Sheets which have different thermal properties. Computer simulation was conducted to obtain the off-set position for efficient welding by considering laser power, scanning speed, focal length and basic properties. The result showed that the optimum thermal distribution was obtained when the laser beam was irradiated at $0.05{\sim}0.1$ mm off-set toward the SCP sheet side. The experiment was conducted based on the result of computer simulation to show the same optimum conditions. Optimum conditions were 3KW in laser beam power, 6m/min in scanning speed, -0.5mm in focal position, 0.1mm off-set toward SCP. Microhardness test, tensile test, bulge test, optical microscopy, EDS, and XRD were performed to observe the microstructure around fusion zone and to evaluate the mechanical properties of optimum conditions, The weld zone had high microhardness values by the formation of the martensitic structure. Tensile test measured the strength of welded region by vertical to strain direction and the elongation of welded region by parallel to strain direction. Bulge test showed $52\%$ formability of the original materials. Bead shape, grain size, and martensitic structure were observed by the optical microscopy in the weld zone. Detailed results of EDS, XRD confirmed that the welded region was connected of martensitic structure.