This study focused on the nugget formation in resistance welding of three dissimilar steel sheets influenced by different types and thicknesses of epoxy adhesive. An improved finite element model was employed to estimate the temperature distribution in three-sheet weld-bonding and was validated by the metallographic tests. Results showed that the weld initiation time and corresponding nugget size for weld-bonds would be earlier and larger than that of resistance spot welds in term of the same welding parameters. Compared to the adhesive Betamate Flex, the weld-bonding joint of three-sheets with adhesive Terokal 5089 would have a greater increment of the weld nugget sizes due to the increase of the static contact resistance brought by the interfaces between the steel sheets. However, the bond line thickness of the previously mentioned adhesive would take little effect on the weld sizes in weld-bonding of three dissimilar steel sheets.
Keywords: adhesive types; bond line thickness; epoxy adhesive; finite element model; nugget size; resistance welding; three-sheet weld-bonding.