Joint Formation in Multilayered Ultrasonic Welding of Ni-Coated Cu and the Effect of Preheating

2018 ◽  
Vol 140 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Luo ◽  
Haseung Chung ◽  
Wayne Cai ◽  
Teresa Rinker ◽  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Joint Strength ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Mechanical Interlocking ◽  
Joint Formation ◽  
Single Interface ◽  
Process Robustness ◽  
Cu Bonding

Multilayered ultrasonic welding (USW) is widely used in joining of electrodes or tabs in lithium-ion batteries. To achieve quality joints and enhance the welding process robustness, an improved understanding of the joint formation is highly desirable. In this paper, USW of four-layered Ni-coated Cu is studied to investigate the joint formation at a single interface and joint propagation from interface to interface under both ambient and preheated conditions. The results indicate that joint formation involves three major mechanisms: Ni–Ni bonding with minimal mechanical interlocking, Ni–Ni bonding with moderate mechanical interlocking, and a combination of Ni–Ni bonding, Cu–Cu bonding, and severe mechanical interlocking. Results also show that joints propagate from the interface close to the sonotrode side to that close to the anvil side. It is further observed that the joint formation can be accelerated and the joint strength can be improved with process preheating, especially at the interface closest to the anvil. The effect of preheating is most significant during the early stage of the process, and diminishes as process progresses. The favorable effects of preheating improve the robustness of multilayered USW.

Joint Formation in Multi-Layered Ultrasonic Welding of Ni-Coated Cu and the Effect of Preheating

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Luo ◽  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
Elijah Kannatey-Asibu ◽  
Haseung Chung ◽  
Wayne Cai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Joint Strength ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Mechanical Interlocking ◽  
Joint Formation ◽  
Single Interface ◽  
Process Robustness ◽  
Cu Bonding

Multi-layered ultrasonic welding (USW) is widely used in joining of electrodes or tabs in lithium-ion batteries. To achieve quality joints and enhance the welding process robustness, an improved understanding of the joint formation is highly desirable. In this paper, USW of 4-layered Ni-coated Cu is studied to investigate the joint formation at a single interface and joint propagation from interface to interface under both ambient and preheated conditions. The results indicate that joint formation involves three major mechanisms: Ni-Ni bonding with minimal mechanical interlocking, Ni-Ni bonding with moderate mechanical interlocking, and a combination of Ni-Ni bonding, Cu-Cu bonding, and severe mechanical interlocking. Results also show that joints propagate from the interface close to the sonotrode side to that close to the anvil side. It is further observed that the joint formation can be accelerated and the joint strength can be improved with process preheating, especially at the interface closest to the anvil. The effect of preheating is most significant during the early stage of the process, and diminishes as process progresses. The favorable effects of preheating improve the robustness of multi-layered USW.

Analysis of Weld Formation in Multilayer Ultrasonic Metal Welding Using High-Speed Images

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Shawn Lee ◽  
Tae Hyung Kim ◽  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
Wayne W. Cai ◽  
Jeffrey A. Abell
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Lateral Displacement ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Fusion Welding ◽  
Tool Geometry ◽  
Weld Quality ◽  
Weld Formation ◽  
Welding Processes

One of the major challenges in manufacturing automotive lithium-ion batteries and battery packs is to achieve consistent weld quality in joining multiple layers of dissimilar materials. While most fusion welding processes face difficulties in such joining, ultrasonic welding stands out as the ideal method. However, inconsistency of weld quality still exists because of limited knowledge on the weld formation through the multiple interfaces. This study aims to establish real-time phenomenological observation on the multilayer ultrasonic welding process by analyzing the vibration behavior of metal layers. Such behavior is characterized by a direct measurement of the lateral displacement of each metal layer using high-speed images. Two different weld tools are used in order to investigate the effect of tool geometry on the weld formation mechanism and the overall joint quality. A series of microscopies and bond density measurements is carried out to validate the observations and hypotheses of those phenomena in multilayer ultrasonic welding. The results of this study enhance the understanding of the ultrasonic welding process of multiple metal sheets and provide insights for optimum tool design to improve the quality of multilayer joints.

Ultrasonic Welding Simulations for Multiple Layers of Lithium-Ion Battery Tabs

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongkyun Lee ◽  
Elijah Kannatey-Asibu ◽  
Wayne Cai
Keyword(s):  
Lithium Ion Battery ◽  
Automotive Industry ◽  
Semiconductor Industry ◽  
Computational Cost ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Dissimilar Materials ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Simulation Procedure ◽  
Thermal Phenomena

Ultrasonic welding is a solid-state bond created using ultrasonic energy. It has been used in the semiconductor industry for several decades, and more recently, in the automotive industry such as for lithium-ion battery welding. Although there existed numerical simulations for ultrasonic welding, the models were limited to two-layer and like materials stackups. In this study, finite element theories are introduced and simulation procedure is established for multiple sheets and dissimilar metal ultrasonic welding. The procedures require both abaqus/Standard and abaqus/Explicit to simulate the coupled mechanical-thermal phenomena over the entire weld duration with moderate computational cost. The procedure is verified and used to simulate selected specific cases involving multiple sheets and dissimilar materials, i.e., copper and aluminum. The simulation procedure demonstrates its capability to predict welding energy, distortion, and temperature distribution of the workpieces. Case studies of ultrasonic welding simulations for multiple layers of lithium-ion battery tabs are presented. The prediction leads to several innovative ultrasonic welding process designs for improved welding quality.

Characterization of Ultrasonic Metal Welding by Correlating Online Sensor Signals With Weld Attributes

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Shawn Lee ◽  
Chenhui Shao ◽  
Tae Hyung Kim ◽  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
Elijah Kannatey-Asibu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Welding Process ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Process Conditions ◽  
Ultrasonic Metal Welding ◽  
Bond Density ◽  
Metal Welding

Online process monitoring in ultrasonic welding of automotive lithium-ion batteries is essential for robust and reliable battery pack assembly. Effective quality monitoring algorithms have been developed to identify out of control parts by applying purely statistical classification methods. However, such methods do not provide the deep physical understanding of the manufacturing process that is necessary to provide diagnostic capability when the process is out of control. The purpose of this study is to determine the physical correlation between ultrasonic welding signal features and the ultrasonic welding process conditions and ultimately joint performance. A deep understanding in these relationships will enable a significant reduction in production launch time and cost, improve process design for ultrasonic welding, and reduce operational downtime through advanced diagnostic methods. In this study, the fundamental physics behind the ultrasonic welding process is investigated using two process signals, weld power and horn displacement. Several online features are identified by examining those signals and their variations under abnormal process conditions. The joint quality is predicted by correlating such online features to weld attributes such as bond density and post-weld thickness that directly impact the weld performance. This study provides a guideline for feature selection and advanced diagnostics to achieve a reliable online quality monitoring system in ultrasonic metal welding.

Characterization of Ultrasonic Metal Welding by Correlating Online Sensor Signals With Weld Attributes

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Shawn Lee ◽  
Chenhui Shao ◽  
Tae Hyung Kim ◽  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
Elijah Kannatey-Asibu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Welding Process ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Quality Monitoring ◽  
Process Conditions ◽  
Ultrasonic Metal Welding ◽  
Bond Density ◽  
Metal Welding

Online process monitoring in ultrasonic welding of automotive lithium-ion batteries is essential for robust and reliable battery pack assembly. Effective quality monitoring algorithms have been developed to identify out of control parts by applying purely statistical classification methods. However, such methods do not provide the deep physical understanding of the manufacturing process that is necessary to provide diagnostic capability when the process is out of control. The purpose of this study is to determine the physical correlation between ultrasonic welding signal features and the ultrasonic welding process conditions and ultimately joint performance. A deep understanding in these relationships will enable a significant reduction in production launch time and cost, improve process design for ultrasonic welding, and reduce operational downtime through advanced diagnostic methods. In this study, the fundamental physics behind the ultrasonic welding process is investigated using two process signals, weld power and horn displacement. Several online features are identified by examining those signals and their variations under abnormal process conditions. The joint quality is predicted by correlating such online features to weld attributes such as bond density and postweld thickness that directly impact the weld performance. This study provides a guideline for feature selection and advanced diagnostics to achieve a reliable online quality monitoring system in ultrasonic metal welding.

Analysis of Weld Formation in Multilayer Ultrasonic Metal Welding Using High-Speed Images

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Shawn Lee ◽  
Tae Hyung Kim ◽  
S. Jack Hu ◽  
Wayne W. Cai ◽  
Jeffrey A. Abell
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Lateral Displacement ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Fusion Welding ◽  
Tool Geometry ◽  
Weld Quality ◽  
Weld Formation ◽  
Welding Processes

One of the major challenges in manufacturing automotive lithium-ion batteries and battery packs is to achieve consistent weld quality in joining multiple layers of dissimilar materials. While most fusion welding processes face difficulties in such joining, ultrasonic welding stands out as the ideal method. However, inconsistency of weld quality still exists because of limited knowledge on the weld formation through the multiple interfaces. This study aims to establish real-time phenomenological observation on the multilayer ultrasonic welding process by analyzing the vibration behavior of metal layers. Such behavior is characterized by a direct measurement of the lateral displacement of each metal layer using high-speed images. Two different weld tools are used in order to investigate the effect of tool geometry on the weld formation mechanism and the overall joint quality. A series of microscopies and bond density measurements is carried out to validate the observations and hypotheses of those phenomena in multilayer ultrasonic welding. The results of this study enhance the understanding of the ultrasonic welding process of multiple metal sheets and provide insights for optimum tool design to improve the quality of multilayer joints.

scholarly journals Comprehensive Analysis of the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Friction-Stir-Welded Low-Carbon High-Strength Steels with Tensile Strengths Ranging from 590 MPa to 1.5 GPa

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 5728
Author(s):  
HyeonJeong You ◽  
Minjung Kang ◽  
Sung Yi ◽  
Soongkeun Hyun ◽  
Cheolhee Kim
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Tensile Test ◽  
Joint Strength ◽  
Solid Phase ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
High Strength Steels ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Friction Stir ◽  
Welding Processes

High-strength steels are being increasingly employed in the automotive industry, requiring efficient welding processes. This study analyzed the materials and mechanical properties of high-strength automotive steels with strengths ranging from 590 MPa to 1500 MPa, subjected to friction stir welding (FSW), which is a solid-phase welding process. The high-strength steels were hardened by a high fraction of martensite, and the welds were composed of a recrystallized zone (RZ), a partially recrystallized zone (PRZ), a tempered zone (TZ), and an unaffected base metal (BM). The RZ exhibited a higher hardness than the BM and was fully martensitic when the BM strength was 980 MPa or higher. When the BM strength was 780 MPa or higher, the PRZ and TZ softened owing to tempered martensitic formation and were the fracture locations in the tensile test, whereas BM fracture occurred in the tensile test of the 590 MPa steel weld. The joint strength, determined by the hardness and width of the softened zone, increased and then saturated with an increase in the BM strength. From the results, we can conclude that the thermal history and size of the PRZ and TZ should be controlled to enhance the joint strength of automotive steels.

scholarly journals Static ultrasonic welding of carbon fibre unidirectional thermoplastic materials and the influence of heat generation and heat transfer

2021 ◽  
pp. 002199832097681
Author(s):  
F Köhler ◽  
IF Villegas ◽  
C Dransfeld ◽  
A Herrmann
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sections ◽  
Weld Line ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Thermoplastic Composites ◽  
Squeeze Flow ◽  
Anisotropic Flow ◽  
Lap Shear ◽  
Anisotropic Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Edge Defects

Ultrasonic welding is a promising technology to join fibre-reinforced thermoplastic composites. While current studies are mostly limited to fabric materials the applicability to unidirectional materials, as found in aerospace structures, would offer opportunities for joining primary aircraft structures. However, due to the highly anisotropic flow of a molten unidirectional ply undesired squeeze flow phenomena can occur at the edges of the weld overlap. This paper investigates how the fibre orientation in the plies adjacent to the weld line influences the welding process and the appearance of edge defects. Ultrasonic welding experiments with different layups and energy director configurations were carried out while monitoring temperatures at different locations inside and outside the weld overlap. The joints were characterized by single lap shear tests, analysis of corresponding fracture surfaces and microscopic cross-sections. Results showed that the anisotropic flow and the anisotropic thermal conductivity of the plies adjacent to the weld line have a distinct effect on the appearance and location of edge defects. By using energy directors that cover only part of the weld overlap area a new approach was developed to mitigate edge defects caused by the highly directional properties of the unidirectional plies.

Experimental Investigations on Aluminium Ultrasonic Welding Parameters

2014 ◽  
Vol 657 ◽  
pp. 306-310
Author(s):  
Lăcrămioara Apetrei ◽  
Vasile Rață ◽  
Ruxandra Rață ◽  
Elena Raluca Bulai
Keyword(s):  
Microstructural Analysis ◽  
Base Material ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Experimental Investigations ◽  
Welding Parameters ◽  
Material Structure ◽  
Welding Temperature ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Made In

Research evolution timely tendencies, in the nonconventional technologies field, are: manufacture conditions optimization and complex equipments design. The increasing of ultrasonic machining use, in various technologies is due to the expanding need of a wide range materials and high quality manufacture standards in many activity fields. This paper present a experimental study made in order to analyze the welded zone material structure and welding quality. The effects of aluminium ultrasonic welding parameters such as relative energy, machining time, amplitude and working force were compared through traction tests values and microstructural analysis. Microhardness tests were, also, made in five different points, two in the base material and three in the welded zone, on each welded aluminium sample. The aluminum welding experiments were made at the National Research and Development Institute for Welding and Material Testing (ISIM) Timişoara. The ultrasonic welding temperature is lower than the aluminium melting temperature, that's so our experiments reveal that the aluminium ultrasonic welding process doesn't determine the appearance of moulding structure. In the joint we have only crystalline grains deformation, phase transformation and aluminium diffusion.

Transient Temperature and Heat Flux Measurement in Ultrasonic Joining of Battery Tabs Using Thin-Film Microsensors

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hang Li ◽  
Hongseok Choi ◽  
Chao Ma ◽  
Jingzhou Zhao ◽  
Hongrui Jiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Heat Flux ◽  
Heat Generation ◽  
Welding Process ◽  
Ultrasonic Welding ◽  
Transient Temperature ◽  
Monitoring And Control ◽  
Change Rate ◽  
Flux Change ◽  
And Control

Process physics understanding, real time monitoring, and control of various manufacturing processes, such as battery manufacturing, are crucial for product quality assurance. While ultrasonic welding has been used for joining batteries in electric vehicles (EVs), the welding physics, and process attributes, such as the heat generation and heat flow during the joining process, is still not well understood leading to time-consuming trial-and-error based process optimization. This study is to investigate thermal phenomena (i.e., transient temperature and heat flux) by using micro thin-film thermocouples (TFTC) and thin-film thermopile (TFTP) arrays (referred to as microsensors in this paper) at the very vicinity of the ultrasonic welding spot during joining of three-layered battery tabs and Cu buss bars (i.e., battery interconnect) as in General Motors's (GM) Chevy Volt. Microsensors were first fabricated on the buss bars. A series of experiments were then conducted to investigate the dynamic heat generation during the welding process. Experimental results showed that TFTCs enabled the sensing of transient temperatures with much higher spatial and temporal resolutions than conventional thermocouples. It was further found that the TFTPs were more sensitive to the transient heat generation process during welding than TFTCs. More significantly, the heat flux change rate was found to be able to provide better insight for the process. It provided evidence indicating that the ultrasonic welding process involves three distinct stages, i.e., friction heating, plastic work, and diffusion bonding stages. The heat flux change rate thus has significant potential to identify the in-situ welding quality, in the context of welding process monitoring, and control of ultrasonic welding process. The weld samples were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to study the material interactions at the bonding interface as a function of weld time and have successfully validated the proposed three-stage welding theory.

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