Liquid Metal Embrittlement (LME) surface cracks may develop during resistance spot welding in advanced high-strength steels used in automotive bodies. While LME mechanisms are well-documented for academic, single-spot samples, there is limited data on production-scale components. In collaboration with LWF Paderborn and Fraunhofer IPK, WorldAutoSteel has expanded on previous LME studies to publish a Phase 2 report on real-world components.
This steelTalk shares key findings from the study, addressing LME formation and mitigation strategies for stamped components and assessing the potential impact of LME cracks on crash performance. Watch the replay to gain insight into critical automotive manufacturing challenges and solutions.
Meet Our Presenters
Dr.-Ing Max Biegler
Group Lead Joining and Coating Technology, Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology IPK
Max Biegler finished his studies in mechanical engineering at Technical University of Munich in 2015. During his doctorate, he focused on numerical modelling of welding processes, including resistance spot welding and additive manufacturing. Currently, he is heading the department Joining and Coating Technology at Fraunhofer IPK in Berlin.
Keke Yang, M.Sc.
Group Leader, Thermal Joining Technology, Laboratory for material and joining technology (LWF®)
Keke Yang finished his studies in industrial engineering, specializing in mechanical engineering, at the Paderborn University in 2021. Since 2022, he has been working as a research associate, leading the thermal joining workgroup at the Laboratory for Material and Joining Technology (LWF) at Paderborn University, focusing on resistance welding processes.