Effect of the welding parameters on the surface morphology of resistance spot welded AISI 304 stainless steel joints

Resistance spot welding is an extensively used production process in the industry. The joint strength of sheet metal parts bonded by resistance spot welding is expected to be sufficient. Furthermore, it is desirable that the appearance of the welding area be acceptable on visible surfaces. In regard to having an adequate surface appearance on the welded area, is necessary to remove the color changes on the unpainted surfaces and to eliminate the indentations caused by the welding pressure. In this study, an objective evaluation was performed using the color measurements of the test samples joined with resistance spot welding. The effects of welding parameters on surface appearance were investigated and the most suitable settings for the appearance of the welded surface were discussed.