Multi-step direct welding of an aluminum-based workpiece to a steel workpiece

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United States of America Patent

PATENT NO 9999938
SERIAL NO

14464476

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Abstract

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A workpiece stack-up that includes at least a steel workpiece and an aluminum-based workpiece can be resistance spot welded by employing a multi-stage spot welding method in which the passage of electrical current is controlled to perform multiple stages of weld joint development. The multiple stages include: (1) a molten weld pool growth stage in which a molten weld pool is initiated and grown within the aluminum-based workpiece; (2) a molten weld pool solidification stage in which the molten weld pool is allowed to cool and solidify into a weld nugget that forms all or part of a weld joint; (3) a weld nugget re-melting stage in which at least a portion of the weld nugget is re-melted; and (4) a re-melted weld nugget solidification stage in which the re-melted portion of the weld nugget is allowed to cool and solidify.

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Patent Owner(s)

Patent OwnerAddress
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCP O BOX 300 MAIL CODE 482-C23-B21 DETROIT MI 48265-3000

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Inventor(s)

Inventor Name Address # of filed Patents Total Citations
Carlson, Blair E Ann Arbor, US 112 708
Karagoulis, Michael J Okemos, US 50 502
Myasnikova, Yelena West Bloomfield, US 4 65
Sigler, David R Shelby Township, US 104 1399

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