Scientists at South Ural State University (SUSU) in Russia, working in collaboration with Chinese researchers, have developed an ultrasonic-assisted spot welding technology that doubles the strength of joints between dissimilar metals such as steel and aluminium — a breakthrough that could support the production of lighter and more durable vehicles.
The technology combines conventional spot welding with ultrasonic waves of approximately 1,200 watts, applied to the metal during the bonding process. According to the researchers, this approach reduces crystal size in the welded zone by around 20% and cuts by half the thickness of the brittle intermetallic layers that typically form at the interface between different metals.
The solution has potential applications across several industrial sectors. In the automotive industry, stronger steel-aluminium joints could facilitate the production of lighter vehicle bodies, extending the range of electric vehicles. In aviation, reduced structural weight could improve fuel efficiency, while in construction the technology could reinforce connections between metallic components used in bridges and buildings.
In conventional welding, joining steel and aluminium tends to generate hard and brittle intermetallic compounds that compromise joint integrity. This challenge is particularly acute for the automotive sector, which relies on steel structures to enhance passenger safety while using aluminium components to reduce overall vehicle weight.
Test results showed that the technology doubled joint resistance and increased component service life by a factor of 1.9, improving the capacity to withstand prolonged vibration without developing cracks.
The researchers are seeking to address one of the central challenges in materials engineering: joining metals with fundamentally different properties without compromising the strength and durability of the resulting structures.
Source: TV Brics
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=553818
