A parametric study on weld zone shape of resistance spot welded 22MnB5 steel

Abstract The resistance spot welding of 22MnB5 with different weld currents, weld times, and quenching conditions is investigated in the current study. A Kriging Response Surface Methodology-based local sensitivity analysis is performed to investigate the effect of weld current, weld time, and quench condition on weld zone morphology and tensile shear load (TSL). When welding current, welding time, and quenching conditions are varied between the minimum and maximum values, the geometry of the weld zone was influenced by 40–60%, 20–40%, and 0–20%, respectively, according to sensitivity studies. It is also found that increasing values of welding current are the most effective welding parameter, increasing TSL by about 45%. In order to better understand the TSL variation at different welding parameters, various hardness measurements are applied for each specimen in the fusion zone and the heat-affected zone (HAZ) regions of the weld zone. Based on the location, the HAZ was divided into three regions: the inner, middle, and outer. The middle HAZ had hardness values 12% higher than the base material, while the outer HAZ had hardness values up to 36% lower than the base material. Also, macro-and microstructure images of the sample produced by combining the quenched and non-quenched materials are obtained to demonstrate how the hardness zones are identified.