Effect of process parameters on joint performance in self-piercing riveted dissimilar automotive steel joints

This work targets establishing self-piercing riveting (SPR) technology for dissimilar automotive steels used popularly in structural as well as skin parts and evaluating the joint properties. Interlock distance and the remaining bottom sheet thickness (T-min) are two important cross-sectional quality parameters influencing the performance of the riveted joints. Rivet penetration (i.e., head height) is an important process parameter that controls the interlock distance and thus the mechanical properties. Optimization of rivet (i.e., diameter, length & hardness) and die design (i.e., shape, dia & depth) is equally important to achieve the desired joint properties. In this study, dissimilar lap shear joints of an interstitial free (IF), 300 MPa and a low carbon high strength quality (HSQ), 440 MPa steels were prepared for different head heights, and the cross-sectional quality was examined to explore the joint properties (i.e., Interlock, T-min). IF-IF combination exhibited a tensile-shear strength of 7.4 kN at an actual head height (AHH) of -0.3 mm, which was significantly higher than the tensile-shear strength of 5.8 kN achieved at an AHH of 0.0 mm for the same combination. Copyright (C) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Second International Conference on Engineering Materials, Metallurgy and Manufacturing.