Numerical Analysis on Thermal Characteristics of Direct Current Pulsed Gas Metal Arc Welded Joints of AA5052 Aluminum Alloy to DP590 High Strength Steel

Abstract

In the present study, feasibility of joining 1.2 mm thick AA5052 aluminum alloy to 1.2 mm thick galvannealed (GA) high strength steel DP590 by direct current pulsed gas metal arc welding (DC pulsed GMAW) is studied through experimental and numerical analysis. A comparative study in joining of dissimilar materials by DC pulsed GMAW is performed to realize the effect of different welding parameters on the thermal characteristics of the welded joints and growth of IMC layer thickness. A 3D heat transfer model is developed to estimate the temperature distribution, temperature histories, and the IMC layer thickness of the welded joints. The numerical result showed the fair agreement with experimentally measured average IMC layer thickness within the standard deviation values. An increase of welding current induced longer wet length with lower bead height.