Joining Dissimilar Thin-Walled Tubes by Magnetic Pulse Welding

Abstract Welding dissimilar metal tubes attracts interest for a wide range of automotive, aeronautical, and plant engineering applications as well as other consumables. Hybrid driveshafts or structural elements can meet mechanical requirements at a reduced weight. However, joining materials with strongly different thermo-physical properties is a challenge for conventional fusion welding processes. In Magnetic Pulse Welding (MPW), the weld formation is based on the high-velocity collision between the joining partners, without additional heat input. This allows for the fabrication of sound “cold” welds. MPW of tubular parts is usually realized by the radial electromagnetic compression of the outer “flyer” part and the subsequent impact on the inner “parent” part. This impact represents a harsh loading for the parent, which therefore is usually designed as a thick-walled or solid part to avoid damage or unwanted deformations. To further increase the lightweight potential, the objective of the present manuscript is the comprehensive analysis of MPW with thin-walled parent parts. Experimental and analytical investigations are presented, which enable to reduce the parent thickness without affecting the joint strength. The approaches comprise the observation of the impact and deformation behavior by inline laser-based measurement technology as well as the development of adequate, re-usable mandrels to support the parent parts. The focus is on aluminum flyer parts, which are welded to steel and copper parent parts. Critical values for the parent wall thickness are deduced and recommendations for the process design of MPW with thin-walled tubes are given.