@article{64678, abstract = {{One of the major topics in the modern automotive industry is reducing emissions and increasing the mileage range. To tackle this challenge, on the one hand, modifying the powertrain system is a possibility, and on the other hand, lightweight design offers various possibilities. Multi-Material Design (MMD) involves designing car bodies that combine different materials that require joining. Given the variety of materials, mechanical joining processes are preferred. Especially the current development of the Giga/Mega-casting process concerning aluminium casting and the subsequent mechanical joining illustrates the challenges of this material group. In car production, aluminium castings are mainly made from aluminium-silicon (AlSi) alloys. Ultimately, the alloy system's insufficient ductility leads to crack initiation during mechanical joining. Cast parts are therefore often used in areas of the car body that are exposed to high-pressure loads. For example, self-piercing riveting (SPR) is used due to its high load-bearing capacity. In this study, improved joinability is demonstrated by influencing the microstructure through tailored solidification rates and a developed heat-treatment chain strategy adapted for hypoeutectic AlSi systems. Data on microstructure, mechanical, and joining properties are used to develop a solidification-joining correlation for the SPR process across a range of Si contents and solidification rates. The purpose is to develop the ability to produce suitable aluminium castings with sufficient joinability, thereby improving versatility.}}, author = {{Neuser, Moritz and Kaimann, Pia Katharina and Stratmann, Ina and Bobbert, Mathias and Klöckner, Johann Moritz Benedikt and Mann, Moritz and Hoyer, Kay-Peter and Meschut, Gerson and Schaper, Mirko}}, journal = {{Journal of Manufacturing Processes}}, keywords = {{Mechanical joining, Aluminium, Self-piercing riveting, Casting, Microstructure, Joinability AlSi-alloys}}, publisher = {{Elsevier}}, title = {{{Solidification-joinability correlation of hypoeutectic aluminium casting alloys for self-piercing riveting (SPR)}}}, doi = {{https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmapro.2026.02.040}}, volume = {{164}}, year = {{2026}}, } @article{65373, abstract = {{To reduce CO₂ emissions, the automotive industry is adopting multi-material structures. Fusion-based joining reaches its limits for aluminium–steel due to brittle intermetallic phases and mismatched thermophysical properties; therefore, mechanical joining (e.g., SPR) is used. Though conventional SPR requires tool changes for different stack-ups. Versatile self-piercing riveting (V-SPR) addresses this with an extended punch actuator and a multi-range-capable rivet (Kappe in PERD16:363–378, 2022), enabling joints up to 600 MPa across varying thicknesses without retooling. With the use of ultra-high-strength steels up to 1000 MPa, optimisation is required. This study quantifies how rivet shank geometry affects joint formation using a design of experiments and validated 2D axisymmetric FE simulations. The optimum depends strongly on the material system. For CP1000–EN AW-6014, maximum interlock f is predicted for a medium shank thickness of about 0.73 mm, a small internal foot radius of 0.620 mm, and a deeper drill depth of 3.136 mm, yielding f fc =0.4503 mm with a desirability of 0.954. For EN AW-6014–EN AW-6014, the optimum shifts to a thinner shank of 0.670 mm, a larger internal foot radius of 0.820 mm and a shallow drill depth of 2.30 mm, giving ffc = 0.3023 mm with a desirability of 1.0. A compromise geometry of 0.713 mm shank thickness, 0.776 mm internal foot radius and 2.755 mm drill depth achieves ffc = 0.3641 mm for CP1000–aluminium and ffc = 0.1851 mm for aluminium–aluminium with an overall desirability D = 0.6378, expanding V-SPR to ultra-high-strength steel–aluminium joints while maintaining aluminium joinability.}}, author = {{Kaimann, Pia Katharina and Ritter, Nico and Bobbert, Mathias and Meschut, Gerson}}, issn = {{2731-6564}}, journal = {{Discover Mechanical Engineering}}, number = {{1}}, publisher = {{Springer Science and Business Media LLC}}, title = {{{Influence of the shank geometry on the joint formation of the versatile self-piercing riveting of ultra-high-strength steel-aluminium and aluminium-aluminium assemblies}}}, doi = {{10.1007/s44245-026-00221-y}}, volume = {{5}}, year = {{2026}}, } @article{58495, abstract = {{ To reduce CO2 emissions, the industry, particularly in the mobility sector, focuses on lightweight vehicles with multi-material structures. As thermal joining processes are reaching their limits, mechanical techniques such as self-piercing riveting are being used. One innovative solution is the versatile self-piercing riveting process (V-SPR), which combines different material combinations with a multi-range rivet. 1 The joining process is divided into the piercing process and the forming process of the rivet head to the respective sheet thickness. The rivet shaft requires sufficient strength to punch through the punch-sided sheet, and sufficient ductility of the rivet head is required to form onto the punch-sided sheet. To achieve a combination of these requirements, local inductive heat treatment strategies are used for the rivet. To ensure reproducible rivet hardening, a specialised device has been developed for precise rivet positioning in the induction coil and the subsequent quenching process. The heat treatment differs in terms of hardening times and temperatures. In addition, the heat treatment is combined with a subsequent tempering process. The study aims to determine the resulting hardness distributions and microstructures of the rivet and to investigate the influence of different heat treatment strategies on joint formation and load-bearing capacities. The results show that a graded hardening profile has a positive effect on the spreading behaviour of the rivet foot and the forming behaviour of the rivet head. Furthermore, the load-bearing behaviour of the joints is increased. }}, author = {{Holtkamp, Pia Katharina and Kappe, Fabian and Probst, Paula and Bobbert, Mathias and Meschut, Gerson}}, issn = {{1464-4207}}, journal = {{Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part L: Journal of Materials: Design and Applications}}, publisher = {{SAGE Publications}}, title = {{{Investigation of local heat treatment strategies for a multi-range capable rivet and the influence on joint formation and load-bearing capacity}}}, doi = {{10.1177/14644207241307508}}, year = {{2025}}, } @inproceedings{60440, abstract = {{The versatile self-pierce riveting (V-SPR) is a further development of semi-tubular self-pierce riveting. V-SPR enables adaptation to changing boundary conditions, such as a change in the material thickness combination, without varying the rivet die combination due to increased punch actuation and the use of multi-range capable rivets [1]. The inner punch first sets the rivet. The outer punch then forms the rivet head to the respective sheet thickness. For this, the rivet requires a hard shank and a ductile rivet head, which is achieved by an inductive local hardening process [2]. Until now, the joint formation of rivets with graded hardness profile has been challenging to estimate in the FEM simulation due to the inhomogeneous material conditions in the rivet. In this study, a method capable of reproducing the experimentally determined hardness levels of rivets in detail is shown. This FE model enables the realistic modelling of the mechanical properties of the rivet on the basis of the hardness profile in order to predict the correct deformation processes and stresses during the riveting process. First, the detailed experimental hardness mapping of the locally heat-treated rivets is transferred into the FE model. The FEM material model can predict the local strength of the rivet based on hardness by scaling the flow curves. To estimate the predictive capability of the FEM model, the joint formation of rivets with different graded hardness profiles is compared experimentally and simulative. Based on the validated model, the influence of different rivet hardness profiles on the joint formation is analysed numerically. By adapting the material model, a high level of correlation between the experiment's joint formation and the simulation can be achieved.}}, author = {{Holtkamp, Pia Katharina and Bielak, Christian Roman and Bobbert, Mathias and Meschut, Gerson}}, booktitle = {{Materials Research Proceedings}}, issn = {{2474-395X}}, publisher = {{Materials Research Forum LLC}}, title = {{{Simulation of the joining process of graded hardened multi-range capable rivets}}}, doi = {{10.21741/9781644903599-153}}, volume = {{54}}, year = {{2025}}, } @article{58807, abstract = {{One of the most important strategies for reducing CO2 emissions in the mobility sector is lightweight construction. In particular, the car body offers several opportunities for weight reduction. Multi-material designs are increasingly being applied to select the most suitable material for the respective load and ultimately achieve synergy effects. For example, aluminium castings are used at the nodes of a spaceframe body. Subsequently, these are joined with profiles to form the bodyshell. To join different materials mechanical joining techniques, such as semi-tubular self-piercing riveting, are deployed. According to the current state of the art, cracks occur in the aluminium castings during the mechanical joining process as a result of the high degree of deformation. Although the aluminium casting alloys of the AlSi-system exhibit low ductility, these alloys reveal excellent castability. In particular, the ability to cast thin structural parts is enabled by the low liquidus point of the near eutectic aluminium casting alloys. This study addresses the mechanical joining properties of the near eutectic aluminium casting alloy AlSi12, depending on different microstructures. These are achieved by annealing processes and modifying agents. Through an adapted heat treatment, the previously lamellar morphology can be transformed into a globular morphology, which leads to increased ductility and prevents the formation of cracks during the self-piercing riveting (SPR). The joinability is investigated using different die geometries, whereas the joint formation is analysed regarding crack initiation. To evaluate the increased ductility, microstructural and mechanical tests are performed and finally, a microstructure-joinability correlation is established.}}, author = {{Neuser, Moritz and Holtkamp, Pia Katharina and Hoyer, Kay-Peter and Kappe, Fabian and Yildiz, Safak and Bobbert, Mathias and Meschut, Gerson and Schaper, Mirko}}, journal = {{The Journal of Materials: Design and Applications, Part L}}, keywords = {{aluminium, casting, microstructure, joinability, self-piercing riveting}}, location = {{Porto, Portugal}}, publisher = {{Sage Publications}}, title = {{{Mechanical properties and joinability of the near-eutectic aluminium casting alloy AlSi12}}}, doi = {{10.1177/14644207251319922}}, year = {{2025}}, } @inproceedings{60290, abstract = {{The constantly increasing demand for climate protection and resource conservation requires innovative and versatile joining processes that improve adaptability to the joining task and robustness to enable flexible manufacturing on a production line. Therefore, the versatile SPR (V-SPR) and tumbling SPR (T-SPR) were developed. Using the example of a mixed material combination HCT590X+Z (t0 = 1.0 mm) / EN AW-6014 T4 (t0 = 2.0 mm), these processes were examined and compared with regard to the binding mechanisms form closure and force closure using micrographs, non-destructive resistance measurements and destructive torsion tests. For this purpose, a new sample geometry was defined, and the methods were adapted to the SPR process variants.}}, author = {{Lüder, Stephan and Holtkamp, Pia Katharina and Wituschek, Simon and Bobbert, Mathias and Meschut, Gerson and Lechner, Michael and Schmale, Hans Christian}}, booktitle = {{Materials Research Proceedings}}, editor = {{Meschut, Gerson and Bobbert, Mathias and Duflou, Joost and Fratini, Livan and Hagenah, Hinnerk and Martins, Paulo A. F. and Merklein, Marion and Micari, Fabrizio}}, issn = {{2474-395X}}, keywords = {{Joining, Self-Piercing Riveting, Sheet Metal}}, location = {{Paderborn}}, pages = {{101 -- 108}}, publisher = {{Materials Research Forum LLC}}, title = {{{Analysis of the binding mechanisms depending on versatile process variants of self-piercing riveting}}}, doi = {{10.21741/9781644903551-13}}, volume = {{52}}, year = {{2025}}, } @article{60441, abstract = {{Conventional mechanical joining processes are typically rigid in their tool systems and can only react to changing process and disturbance variables to a limited extent. At the same time, various industries are increasingly trending towards multi-material systems consisting of parts with varying geometric and mechanical properties. Due to the varying properties, rigid mechanical joining processes require sampling procedures and periodic changes of tool components or auxiliary joining parts. Consequently, research is focusing on versatile mechanical joining processes that allow increased control by modifying the process parameters. Two processes based on self-piercing riveting can achieve a significant increase in process influence possibilities through a multi-linear actuator as versatile self-piercing riveting (V-SPR) and a tumbling superimposed actuator as tumbling self-piercing riveting (T-SPR). Initial research into V-SPR has shown that this process can be used to achieve a higher variation in overall package thickness by adapting the rivet geometry and using multiple linear actuators. The T-SPR process also enables increased material flow control by means of targeted compression of the rivet using the tumbling actuator, thereby extending the range of joints that can be manufactured. Based on these two processes, a combination of the two mechanisms of action is to be developed.}}, author = {{Holtkamp, Pia Katharina and Wituschek, Simon and Lechner, Michael and Meschut, Gerson}}, issn = {{2261-236X}}, journal = {{MATEC Web of Conferences}}, publisher = {{EDP Sciences}}, title = {{{Integration of multiple-linear and tumbling kinematics into self-piercing riveting}}}, doi = {{10.1051/matecconf/202540801069}}, volume = {{408}}, year = {{2025}}, } @inproceedings{60439, abstract = {{Abstract. Mechanical joints are traditionally analyzed through destructive micrograph analysis, which may compromise internal geometry and morphology, as evidenced by radial cracks in semi-tubular self-pierce riveting. In contrast, industrial X-ray computed tomography (XCT) offers a non-destructive method for component diagnosis, providing volumetric insights without damaging the sample and enabling dimensional measurement. The DFG-funded Collaborative Research Center TRR 285 is exploring XCT's application in assessing mechanical joinability across various joining processes and materials, particularly in multi-material systems like steel-aluminum joints. XCT faces challenges in accurately capturing multi-material compositions, leading to artifacts that complicate interface detection. This research aims to validate XCT for joint investigations, yielding quantitative characteristics that surpass those from traditional micrograph analysis.}}, author = {{Lechner, M. and Borgert, Thomas and Busch, Matthias and Harms, A. and Holtkamp, Pia Katharina and Römisch, D. and Wituschek, Simon and Kappe, Fabian}}, booktitle = {{Materials Research Proceedings}}, issn = {{2474-395X}}, publisher = {{Materials Research Forum LLC}}, title = {{{Non-destructive testing in versatile joining processes}}}, doi = {{10.21741/9781644903551-12}}, volume = {{52}}, year = {{2025}}, }