The evaluate of laser welded tailor and tubular blanks formability for automotive vehicle elements stamping

The laser welded blanks and tubes take wide range in application as materials for forming of automotive vehicle elements. The heterogeneity of structure and properties in laser weld area has an effect on welded blanks behavior in the plastic forming process. For quantitative evaluation of this heterogeneity influenced on plastic strain course, necessary is to determine characteristics of laser welded blanks mechanical properties. It has a particular meaning in accomplishing selection of proper laser joined sheets and tubes sets, allowed to receive designed quality of presswork. It is difficult to find a universal method of those kinds of welded blanks drawability evaluation, more when joining elements are made of different materials. In this paper are pointed out the important issues at elaborating of those kinds welded blanks drawability evaluation, with special include laser welded tubes drawability evaluation for hydroforming process. Besides, there are presented examples of laser welded sheets and tubes, which are research program objects at Department of Process Modeling and Medical Engineering of The Silesian University of Technology. There is presented research capabilities of designed and built laboratory stand for tubes hydromechanical bulging.