Effect of the tool geometry on microstructure and geometrical features of clinched aluminum

In addition to brazing and welding processes, mechanical joining processes such as clinching are increasingly being used. Clinch joints offer an advantage over metallurgical joining processes by giving the possibility of joining different material combinations without typical drawbacks. Thereby clinching offers an enormous advantage for lightweight construction. An additional benefit is a great variability in the geometric shapes of the toolsets, which ensure optimum adaptation of the clinching process on variations of the joining elements such as e.g. the sheet thickness. However, the vast variability is also one of the major challenges regarding the prediction of the joint reliability. In the work presented, the effect of different toolset geometries was investigated with a particular focus on the interaction between geometrical features and deformation-induced microstructural changes. Light optical and electron microscopy techniques, as well as micro-hardness measurements, were performed. The results were evaluated and discussed concerning the material's deformation behavior, the change in geometrical shape and the microstructural evolution due to the different tool geometries. The findings point out the main influence factors regarding the mechanical properties in general and the fatigue behavior in particular.