Abstract: A method of preparing aluminum metal pieces for welding, along with welded sheet metal assemblies formed from the prepared aluminum metal pieces. In one embodiment, a scanning beam of a laser is directed at an edge portion of the sheet metal piece such that a portion of the scanning beam is configured to impact an oxide layer at the edge portion. The laser is pulsed in a series of ablating pulses at the edge portion, with the ablating pulses creating an ablation plume that includes ablated material from the oxide layer of the primary surface and the peripheral surface of the edge portion. The ablation plume is analyzed, and ablation and analyzing continues until a threshold of at least one constituent in the ablation plume or the analysis plume is met or exceeded. One or more operating parameters of the laser are adjusted based on the analysis of the ablation plume or analysis plume. In some embodiments, two aluminum metal pieces are simultaneously prepared.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding first and second sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. At least one of the sheet metal pieces includes a boron steel or press hardenable steel base material layer and an aluminum-based coating material layer, along with a weld notch where at least a portion of the coating material layer is removed before welding. An additional material can be provided during welding to influence weld joint composition and/or a secondary heat source can be used to heat and flow a protective material in a weld region of the blank assembly. The weld notch has a width that may be related to the width of a heat-affected zone formed during welding.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly includes aluminum-based sheet metal blanks joined by a friction stir weld and an oxide removal zone on a surface of at least one of the blanks. The average thickness of an oxide layer in the oxide removal zone is less than elsewhere along the surface. The weld is at least partially located in the oxide removal zone and is substantially free from oxide remnants. A method of making a welded blank assembly includes removing at least a portion of an oxide layer on an aluminum-based sheet metal blank to form the oxide removal zone, then joining the blanks together at the oxide removal zone with a weld. Oxide regrowth in the oxide removal zone can be minimized and/or inhibited by welding within a pre-determined time after oxide removal, control of the local environment between oxide removal and welding, and/or use of an oxide inhibitor.

Abstract: Welded parts and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. A welded part may include first and second metal workpieces having respective first and second edges forming a butt joint. The welded part may further include a first laser weld joining the first and second edges on one side of the first and second metal workpieces, and a second laser weld joining the first and second edges on another opposite side of the first and second metal workpieces. Some example parts may have laser welds that cooperate to extend across an entire depth of the butt joint and form an overlap zone between the first and second laser welds. In some examples, the first and second laser welds may be formed with substantially zero macroporosity.

Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.

Abstract: A method of preparing zinc coated sheet metal pieces for welding, along with welded sheet metal assemblies formed from the prepared zinc coated sheet metal pieces. In one embodiment, a scanning beam of a laser is directed at an edge portion of the sheet metal piece such that a portion of the scanning beam is configured to impact the zinc coating layer at the edge portion. The laser is pulsed in a series of ablating pulses at the edge portion, with the ablating pulses creating an ablation plume that includes ablated material from the zinc coating layer of the primary surface and the peripheral surface of the edge portion. The ablation plume is analyzed, and ablation and analyzing continues until a threshold of at least one constituent in the ablation plume or the analysis plume is met or exceeded. One or more operating parameters of the laser are adjusted based on the analysis of the ablation plume or analysis plume. In some embodiments, two sheet metal pieces are simultaneously prepared.

Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly includes a capping material in a weld region of the assembly. The capping material can help protect a weld joint joining first and second sheet metal pieces together. At least one of the sheet metal pieces has a coating material layer that is removed prior to forming the weld joint so that the coating material does not contaminate the weld joint. The removed coating material can be collected before the weld joint is formed and reapplied as part of the capping material after the weld joint is formed, effectively changing the coating material from a potential weld contaminant to a weld joint protectant. The capping material may also include additional material from a source other than the coating material layer.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding first and second sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. At least one of the sheet metal pieces includes a boron steel or press hardenable steel base material layer and an aluminum-based coating material layer, along with a weld notch where at least a portion of the coating material layer is removed before welding. An additional material can be provided during welding to influence weld joint composition and/or a secondary heat source can be used to heat and flow a protective material in a weld region of the blank assembly. The weld notch has a width that may be related to the width of a heat-affected zone formed during welding.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding edge regions of separate sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. One or more of the sheet metal pieces includes a coating material layer and a weld notch, where at least some of the coating material layer is removed from the edge region(s) prior to welding so that the weld joint is substantially free from constituents of the coating material layer. An additional material may be added to a weld pool during weld joint formation to influence the size, shape and/or composition of the resulting weld joint to help compensate for the presence of the weld notch.

Abstract: A sheet metal piece includes a base material layer and one or more intermediate and coating material layers, along with a weld notch formed along an edge region of the piece. At least a portion of the coating and intermediate material layers is removed at the weld notch so that certain constituents from such layers do not affect the integrity of a nearby weld joint when it is subsequently formed along the edge region. Various methods of ablation, including laser ablation, can be used to form the weld notch.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly includes a capping material in a weld region of the assembly. The capping material can help protect a weld joint joining first and second sheet metal pieces together. At least one of the sheet metal pieces has a coating material layer that is removed prior to forming the weld joint so that the coating material does not contaminate the weld joint. The removed coating material can be collected before the weld joint is formed and reapplied as part of the capping material after the weld joint is formed, effectively changing the coating material from a potential weld contaminant to a weld joint protectant. The capping material may also include additional material from a source other than the coating material layer.

Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding edge regions of separate sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. One or more of the sheet metal pieces includes a coating material layer and a weld notch, where at least some of the coating material layer is removed from the edge region(s) prior to welding so that the weld joint is substantially free from constituents of the coating material layer. An additional material may be added to a weld pool during weld joint formation to influence the size, shape and/or composition of the resulting weld joint to help compensate for the presence of the weld notch.

Abstract: A sheet metal piece includes a base material layer and one or more intermediate and coating material layers, along with a weld notch formed along an edge region of the piece. At least a portion of the coating and intermediate material layers is removed at the weld notch so that certain constituents from such layers do not affect the integrity of a nearby weld joint when it is subsequently formed along the edge region. Various methods of ablation, including laser ablation, can be used to form the weld notch.