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The strains, transformation temperatures, microstructure, and microhardness of a microalloyed boron and aluminum precoated steel, which has been isothermally deformed under uniaxial tensile tests, have been investigated at temperatures between 873 and 1223 K, using a fixed strain rate value of 0.08 s À1 . The effect of each factor, such as temperature and strain value, has been later valued considering the shift generated on the continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagram. The experimental results consist of the starting temperatures that occur for each transformation, the microhardness values, and the obtained microstructure at the end of each thermomechanical treatment. All the thermomechanical treatments were performed using the thermomechanical simulator Gleeble 1500. The results showed that increasing hot prestrain (HPS) values generate, at the same cooling rate, lower hardness values; this means that the increasing of HPS generates a shift of the CCT diagram toward a lower starting time for each transformation. Therefore, high values of hot deformations during the hot stamping process require a strict control of the cooling process in order to ensure cooling rate values that allow maintaining good mechanical component characteristics. This phenomenon is amplified when the prestrain occurs at lower temperatures, and thus, it is very sensitive to the temperature level.

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The results of an experimental study on friction stir spot welding (FSSW) of AA6082-T6 are reported. In particular, process mechanics is highlighted and joint strength is considered in relation to varying the most relevant process parameters. Furthermore, the results obtained are compared with those derived from the application of traditional mechanical fastening techniques such as clinching and riveting. In this way the effectiveness of FSSW is highlighted.

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Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) are metal materials that, after being strained, come back to their original shape at a designated temperature. Welding NiTi alloys is not simple because when the material is melted, due to the high reactivity of the alloy elements, the typical shape memory properties may disappear. The solid state welding process, such as friction stir welding, is thus attractive for SMA joining and it exhibits potentials for achieving welded joints affected by microstructural changes that preserve the shape memory properties. The present study investigates the feasibility of friction stir welding process to join NiTi shape memory alloys; in order to analyse the welding process, it has been determined the effect of the process on the functional properties of material. Microscopy observations of Friction Stir Processed (FSP) material have been used to highlight processed zone microstructures and the austenitic and martensitic transformation temperatures of the processed material were investigated using a stress applied method. A post processing thermal treatment has been applied in order to investigate the possibility to recover the partial losing of the shape memory capability of material subsequent the FSP.

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