MAGNETIC PULSE WELDING: LESSONS TO BE LEARNED FROM EXPLOSIVE WELDING

2 Abstract Almost 50 years after magnetic pulse welding was invented, it is finally finding its way to the private sector, in particular the transportation and refrigeration industries. To support this evolution, more fundamental and applied knowledge on magnetic pulse welding has to be established. Learning from the explosive welding process which is very similar and already thoroughly studied and documented, is one way of achieving this. This paper first discusses why both processes are alike, but not the same. A closer look at the process parameters and especially those of explosive welding learned, that an increasing flyer plate velocity results in a transformation of the bonding interface from smooth to wavy and an increase in hardness at the surfaces of both metals. Welding windows developed for explosive welding are discussed. The reasons for the limitations set to impact angle and collision velocity in a welding window are briefly reviewed. This information can give a hand in the optimization of the parameter settings to achieve sound welds with the magnetic pulse process. To check if a high quality weld is made, several testing methods for both processes are discussed and compared. Belgian Welding Institute, Belgium