Recent Advances in Welding and Joining Metallic Materials

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Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Interests: friction stir welding and processing; high-pressure die casting; additive manufacturing and shape memory alloys; powder metallurgy and particle analysis
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advanced welding and joining processes are pivotal to the evolving and continuously emerging landscape of advanced manufacturing and materials processing, particularly for monolithic metallic systems where exceptional prolonged performance is a key. With rising demands for structural efficiency, sustainability, and digital integration, it is incumbent upon us to develop and characterize joining and welding strategies that not only join materials, but that also control emerging microstructure, improve mechanical properties and enhance performance, and enable predictive quality assurance.

For this Special Issue of the Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing, we invite high-quality contributions focusing on innovative welding and joining methodologies that align with modern manufacturing paradigms and concurrent societal needs. Priority will be given to studies that demonstrate process–structure–property–performance–recyclability integration, smart process control, joining advanced or dissimilar alloys, and environmentally conscious or green welding technologies.

The main focus of interest are the following topics:

  • Solid-state welding (friction stir, linear friction, or ultrasonic);
  • Laser and hybrid welding with in situ monitoring;
  • Additive repair or joining processes combined with WAAM or DED;
  • Multi-scale modeling and digital twins for weld process optimization;
  • Sustainable welding practices, energy efficiency, and lifecycle analysis;
  • AI/ML-enhanced defect prediction, diagnostics, and adaptive control.

Research may address macro- and/or micro-scale phenomena, residual stresses, phase transformations, and the inter-relationship between materials design and welding processing parameters. We also invite state-of-the-art reviews and case studies demonstrating industry applications, particularly in the aerospace, automotive, energy, and defense fields.

Special topics to consider are as follows:

  • Intelligent welding and joining technologies;
  • Microstructural evolution and mechanical performance;
  • Dissimilar and lightweight alloy joining;
  • Friction-based and solid-state welding innovations;
  • Process simulation, digital twins, and data-driven models;
  • In situ diagnostics and non-destructive evaluation;
  • Sustainable and low-energy welding processes;
  • Residual stress engineering and performance modeling.

This Special Issue seeks to showcase transformative developments that bring together materials science, manufacturing innovation, and digital tools to define the next generation of welding and joining technologies.

We look forward to your contributions.

Dr. Kapil Gangwar
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • intelligent welding and joining technologies
  • microstructural evolution and mechanical performance
  • dissimilar and lightweight alloy joining
  • friction-based and solid-state welding innovations
  • process simulation, digital twins, and data-driven models
  • in situ diagnostics and non-destructive evaluation
  • sustainable and low-energy welding processes
  • residual stress engineering and performance modeling

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

14 pages, 2146 KB  
Article
Method for Determining the Contact and Bulk Resistance of Aluminum Alloys in the Initial State for Resistance Spot Welding
by Andreas Fezer, Stefan Weihe and Martin Werz
J. Manuf. Mater. Process. 2025, 9(8), 266; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmmp9080266 - 7 Aug 2025
Viewed by 352
Abstract
In resistance spot welding (RSW), the total electrical resistance (dynamic resistance) as the sum of bulk and contact resistance is a key variable. Both of these respective resistances influence the welding result, but the exact ratio to the total resistance of a real [...] Read more.
In resistance spot welding (RSW), the total electrical resistance (dynamic resistance) as the sum of bulk and contact resistance is a key variable. Both of these respective resistances influence the welding result, but the exact ratio to the total resistance of a real existing sheet is not known. Due to the high scatter in the RSW of aluminum alloys compared to steel, it is of interest to be able to explicitly determine the individual resistance components in order to gain a better understanding of the relationship between the initial state and the lower reproducibility of aluminum welding in the future. So far, only the total resistance and the bulk resistance could be determined experimentally. Due to the different sample shapes, it was not possible to consistently determine the contact resistance from the measurements. In order to realize this, a method was developed that contains the following innovations with the aid of simulation: determination of the absolute bulk resistance at room temperature (RT), determination of the absolute contact resistance at RT and determination of the ratio of bulk and contact resistance. This method makes it possible to compare the resistances of the bulk material and the surface in the initial state quantitatively. This now allows the comparison of batches regarding the surface resistance, especially for welding processes. For the aluminum sheets (EN AW-5182-O, EN AW-6014-T4) investigated, the method showed that the contact resistance dominates and the bulk resistance is less than 20%. These data can also be used to make predictions about the weldability of the alloy using artificial intelligence (AI). If experimental data are available, the method can also be applied to higher temperatures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Welding and Joining Metallic Materials)
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