AWS D8.1M:2013

An American National Standard

Specification for Automotive Weld Quality— Resistance Spot Welding of Steel

AWS D8.1M:2013

An American National Standard

Approved by the American National Standards Institute

July 29, 2013

Specification for Automotive Weld Quality— Resistance Spot Welding of Steel

2nd Edition

Supersedes AWS D8.1M:2007

Prepared by the American Welding Society (AWS) D8 Committee on Automotive Welding

Under the Direction of the AWS Technical Activities Committee

Approved by the AWS Board of Directors

Abstract

This document contains both visual and measurable acceptance criteria for resistance spot welds in steels. The information contained herein may be used as an aid by designers, resistance welding equipment manufacturers, welded product producers, and others involved in the automotive industry and resistance spot welding of steels.

AWS D8.1M:2013

ISBN-13: 978-0-87171-065-9

© 2013 by American Welding Society

All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America

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AWS D8.1M:2013

Statement on the Use of American Welding Society Standards

All standards (codes, specifications, recommended practices, methods, classifications, and guides) of the American Welding Society (AWS) are voluntary consensus standards that have been developed in accordance with the rules of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). When AWS American National Standards are either incorporated in, or made part of, documents that are included in federal or state laws and regulations, or the regulations of other govern- mental bodies, their provisions carry the full legal authority of the statute. In such cases, any changes in those AWS standards must be approved by the governmental body having statutory jurisdiction before they can become a part of those laws and regulations. In all cases, these standards carry the full legal authority of the contract or other document that invokes the AWS standards. Where this contractual relationship exists, changes in or deviations from requirements of an AWS standard must be by agreement between the contracting parties.

AWS American National Standards are developed through a consensus standards development process that brings together volunteers representing varied viewpoints and interests to achieve consensus. While AWS administers the process and establishes rules to promote fairness in the development of consensus, it does not independently test, evalu- ate, or verify the accuracy of any information or the soundness of any judgments contained in its standards.

AWS disclaims liability for any injury to persons or to property, or other damages of any nature whatsoever, whether special, indirect, consequential, or compensatory, directly or indirectly resulting from the publication, use of, or reliance on this standard. AWS also makes no guarantee or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.

In issuing and making this standard available, AWS is neither undertaking to render professional or other services for or on behalf of any person or entity, nor is AWS undertaking to perform any duty owed by any person or entity to someone else. Anyone using these documents should rely on his or her own independent judgment or, as appropriate, seek the advice of a competent professional in determining the exercise of reasonable care in any given circumstances. It is assumed that the use of this standard and its provisions is entrusted to appropriately qualified and competent personnel.

This standard may be superseded by new editions. This standard may also be corrected through publication of amendments or errata or supplemented by publication of addenda. Information on the latest editions of AWS standards including amendments, errata, and addenda is posted on the AWS web page (www.aws.org). Users should ensure that they have the latest edition, amendments, errata, and addenda.

Publication of this standard does not authorize infringement of any patent or trade name. Users of this standard accept any and all liabilities for infringement of any patent or trade name items. AWS disclaims liability for the infringement of any patent or product trade name resulting from the use of this standard.

AWS does not monitor, police, or enforce compliance with this standard, nor does it have the power to do so.

Official interpretations of any of the technical requirements of this standard may only be obtained by sending a request, in writing, to the appropriate technical committee. Such requests should be addressed to the American Welding Society, Attention: Managing Director, Technical Services Division, 8669 NW 36 St, # 130, Miami, FL 33166 (see Annex B). With regard to technical inquiries made concerning AWS standards, oral opinions on AWS standards may be rendered. These opinions are offered solely as a convenience to users of this standard, and they do not constitute professional advice. Such opinions represent only the personal opinions of the particular individuals giving them. These individuals do not speak on behalf of AWS, nor do these oral opinions constitute official or unofficial opinions or interpretations of AWS. In addition, oral opinions are informal and should not be used as a substitute for an official interpretation.

This standard is subject to revision at any time by the AWS D8 Committee on Automotive Welding. It must be reviewed every five years, and if not revised, it must be either reaffirmed or withdrawn. Comments (recommendations, additions, or deletions) and any pertinent data that may be of use in improving this standard are required and should be addressed to AWS Headquarters. Such comments will receive careful consideration by the AWS D8 Committee on Automotive Welding and the author of the comments will be informed of the Committee’s response to the comments. Guests are invited to attend all meetings of the AWS D8 Committee on Automotive Welding to express their comments verbally. Procedures for appeal of an adverse decision concerning all such comments are provided in the Rules of Operation of the Technical Activities Committee. A copy of these Rules can be obtained from the American Welding Society, 8669 NW 36 St, # 130, Miami, FL 33166.

AWS D8.1M:2013

Personnel

AWS D8 Committee on Automotive Welding

D. L. Galiher, Chair Tower International

T. Coon, 1st Vice Chair Ford Motor Company

M. D. Tumuluru, 2nd Vice Chair U.S. Steel Corporation

E. H. Abrams, Secretary American Welding Society

G. Armstrong Yachiyo of Ontario Manufacturing, Incorporated

J. E. Beckham Chrysler Group LLC

J. C. Bohr General Motors

W. H. Brafford Tuffaloy Products, Incorporated

J. W. Dolfi Consultant

F. W. Hunt Hitachi America, Limited

1. G. Hunt AET Integration, Incorporated

   1. Jiang AET Integration, Incorporated

      S. C. Kelley ArcelorMittal

      D. P. Kelly Fusion Welding Solutions

   2. R. Kolodziej Ford Motor Company (Retired)

D. F. Maatz, Jr. RoMan Engineering Services, Incorporated

T. W. Morrissett RoMan Engineering Services, Incorporated

J. S. Noruk Servo Robot Corporation

W. F. Qualls Consultant

Advisors to the AWS D8 Committee on Automotive Welding

E. Cross-Smith Meggit Aircraft Braking Systems

W. W. Doneth Fronius USA LLC

AWS D8D Subcommittee on Automotive Resistance Spot Welding

J. C. Bohr, Chair General Motors

W. F. Qualls, 1st Vice Chair Consultant

H. Zhang, 2nd Vice Chair University of Toledo

E. H. Abrams, Secretary American Welding Society

J. E. Beckham Chrysler Group LLC

E. Biro ArcelorMittal

W. H. Brafford Tuffaloy Products, Incorporated

T. Coon Ford Motor Company

J. W. Dolfi Consultant

1. G. Hunt AET Integration, Incorporated

   1. Jiang AET Integration, Incorporated

   2. P. Kelly Fusion Welding Solutions

M. Kimchi The Ohio State University

M. Kuo ArcelorMittal

D. F. Maatz, Jr. RoMan Engineering Services, Incorporated

T. W. Morrissett RoMan Engineering Services, Incorporated

T. V. Natale AK Steel Corporation

C. J. Orsette Fusion Welding Solutions

E. Pakalnins RoMan Engineering Services

AWS D8.1M:2013

AWS D8D Subcommittee on Automotive Resistance Spot Welding (Continued)

W. Peterson Edison Welding Institute

D.J. Spinella ALCOA Technical Center

N.S. Scotchmer Huys Industries Limited

M.D.Tumuluru U.S. Steel Corporation

Advisors to the AWS D8D Subcommittee on Automotive Resistance Spot Welding

W. H. Trojanowski Chrysler Group LLC

M. Hebert General Motors (Retired)

T. Sparschu tms Solutions

AWS D8.1M:2013

Foreword

This foreword is not part of AWS D8.1M:2013, Specification for Automotive Weld Quality— Resistance Spot Welding of Steel, but is included for informational purposes only.

This publication supersedes the first edition of the D8.1M:2007, Specification for Automotive Weld Quality—Resistance Spot Welding of Steel. A vertical line in the margin indicates a revision from the 2007 edition.

This document has been prepared to establish acceptance criteria for resistance spot welds in automotive structures fab- ricated from steels including the Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS). As a specification, the criteria and techniques contained are obligatory when cited as a normative reference on a drawing or in a contract.

This specification was prepared by the AWS D8D Subcommittee on Automotive Resistance Spot Welding of the AWS D8 Committee on Automotive Welding. This publication is issued under the auspices of the AWS D8 Committee on Automotive Welding.

AWS D8.1M:2013

Table of Contents

Page No.

Personnel v

Foreword vii

List of Tables x

List of Figures x

1. Scope and Applicability 1

   1. Scope 1

   2. Standard Units of Measurement 1

   3. Safety Precautions 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Terms and Definitions 2

4. Weld Process Control 2

5. Spot Weld Acceptance Criteria 3

   1. Surface Inspection Criteria 3

   2. Destructive Inspection—Metallographic Criteria 3

   3. Destructive Inspection—Peel and Chisel Criteria 6

   4. Destructive Inspection—Shear and Cross Tension Criteria 9

Annex A (Informative)—Informative References 23

Annex B (Informative)—Guidelines for the Preparation of Technical Inquiries 25

List of AWS Documents on Automotive Welding 27

AWS D8.1M:2013

List of Tables

Table Page No.

1. Classification of Steels for Resistance Spot Welding Purposes 3

2. Minimum Acceptable Weld Size 5

3. Shear Tension Sample Dimensions 20

4. Cross Tension Sample Dimensions 22

List of Figures

Figure Page No.

1. Examples of Edge Welds 4

2. Surface Cracks 4

3. Indentation Measurement 5

4. Attributes of a Spot Weld Measured from a Cross Section 6

5. Penetration Measurement 6

6. Example of Discrepant Pores and Cavities 7

7. Example of Discrepant Internal Cracks 7

8. Measurement Method 8

9. Example of Measuring a Crescent Button 9

10. Fracture Mode 1—Button Pull 10

11. Fracture Mode 2—Partial Thickness Fracture with Button Pull 11

12. Fracture Mode 3—Partial Thickness Fracture 12

13. Fracture Mode 4—Interfacial Fracture with Button Pull and Partial Thickness Fracture 13

14. Fracture Mode 5—Interfacial Fracture with Button Pull 14

15. Fracture Mode 6—Interfacial Fracture with Partial Thickness Fracture 15

16. Fracture Mode 7—Interfacial Fracture 16

17. Fracture Mode 8—No Fusion 17

18. Representative Minimum Shear Tension Strength Values for Group 2 Steels 18

19. Representative Minimum Shear Tension Strength Values for Group 3 Steels 19

20. Representative Minimum Shear Tension Strength Values for Group 4 Steels 19

21. Minimum Cross Tension Strength Values for Group 2, 3, and 4 Steels 20

22. Schematic for Shear Tension Samples 20

23. Metrics Monitored in Shear and Cross Tension Tests 21

24. Schematic for Cross Tension Samples 22