Examination of Three-Layered Clinch Joints

Abstract

The reliable operation of an engineering structure is highly influenced by the joints of its structural elements. The selection of the applied joints is often determined by the function of the structure. In addition, the requirements for joints must be considered: strength, elongation, sealing, mobility, assembly, safety against loosening, feasibility, economy, design, etc. of the joint. The range of sheet materials used in the vehicle industry is very broad: manufacturers can choose the most suitable materials for a given purpose from a wide selection of materials, and it is also common to use sheets of several types of materials, with different thicknesses and physical and chemical properties, within a structural element. However, these sheets need to be combined in some way to produce a proper final product design. For combining thin sheet material, several different joining technologies are known. The aim of the study is the examination of clinched joints made of aluminium due to the highly increasing percentage of aluminium sheet usage in car bodies. The applied materials are EN AW 5754 and EN AW-1050 with different thicknesses. The joints were analysed by FEA and experimentally tested as well.