Mechanical joining technologies are increasingly used in multi-material lightweight constructions and offer opportunities to create versatile joining processes due to their low heat input, robustness to metallurgical incompatibilities and various process variants. They can be categorised into technologies which require an auxiliary joining element, or do not require an auxiliary joining element. A typical example for a mechanical joining process with auxiliary joining element is self-piercing riveting. A wide range of processes exist which are not requiring an auxiliary joining element. This allows both point-shaped (e.g., by clinching) and line-shaped (e.g., friction stir welding) joints to be produced. In order to achieve versatile processes, challenges exist in particular in the creation of intervention possibilities in the process and the understanding and handling of materials that are difficult to join, such as fiber reinforced plastics (FRP) or high-strength metals. In addition, predictive capability is required, which in particular requires accurate process simulation. Finally, the processes must be measured non-destructively in order to generate control variables in the process or to investigate the cause-effect relationship. This paper covers the state of the art in scientific research concerning mechanical joining and discusses future challenges on the way to versatile mechanical joining processes.

<jats:p>Three-dimensional modelling enables to determine the in-plane material flow in asymmetrical situation. Thus, the distortion of the sheets to be joined can be characterized more exactly. This study shows a method for building up a three-dimensional shear-clinching framework without damage criteria. In fact, the die-sided sheet in shear-clinching was designed as a pre-punched sheet and slugs. The material separation in the die-sided joining partner, which in two-dimensional simulation is often described by macro- and micromechanical fracture criteria, was realised in this study based on a defined contact condition. By means of a shear-cutting simulation, a correlation between the break angle and the separation stress was determined, which was used as a separation criterion in the shear-clinching simulation. The separation line was confirmed using post-particles. To validate this model, the results of the simulation using a quadratic single-point specimen were compared to the experiments with respect to the distortion of the joining partner. In general, the built three-dimensional framework provides for further tool developments with regard to the reduction of distortion in shear-clinching.</jats:p>

<jats:p>The newly developed joining-by-forming technology “shear-clinching”, features a potentially single-stage process for joining UHSS without requiring any additional elements. Foundational studies have focused on the functionality of shear-clinching at a one-element sample. To ensure the safety of the industrial application of the shear-clinching technology, an investigation with component-like samples with several joints is required. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the material behaviour during the shear-clinching process with multi-element specimens to evaluate the influence of the neighbouring joints. In order to describe the influence of the neighbouring joints, the deformations resulting from the bending and material displacement are recorded without contact after the joining process: locally around the joining point and globally over the entire sample size. To minimize such bending effects, a tool-sided adaptation is provided. The results show the high potential of shear-clinching joining by UHSS and give further recommendations for future multi-material application.</jats:p>

<jats:p>Modern developments in the automotive sector are motivated by the objective of lowering the emission of pollutants. In contrast, growing demands for safety and comfort lead to a potential increase of the weight of vehicles. Thus, the consequent use of lightweight design is indispensable. This includes the use of different materials for the construction of car bodies. Because of various material properties, joining of dissimilar materials is challenging and requires often the application of non-thermic processes like riveting or clinching. These processes are limited by the mechanical properties of the joining partners. Especially the increasing use of ultra-high strength alloys, like the hot stamped steel 22MnB5, makes the development of new joining technologies necessary. One of these innovative technologies is shear-clinching. By combining shear-cutting and clinching in one process, this technology produces durable and tight connections of dissimilar materials with high differences regarding strength and formability. In contrast to shear-cutting the die-sided material has no contact with the punch. Since the process of shear-clinching is a combination of cutting and joining using the same tool, the tool loads differ from common shear-cutting. Especially cutting hot stamped steels is a challenge due to their high ultimate strength which leads to high tool loads. Thus, the analysis of the load condition is essential for the dimensioning of durable and wear resistant tools. Hence, the scope of this paper is a numerical investigation of the tool loads during the indirect cutting process and the subsequent step of joining by forming during shear-clinching. Since an experimental investigation of the occurring tool loads in the closed process is not practicable, the finite element method has to be used. Therefore, a damage-based numerical model is set up to enable the coupled simulation of the combined cutting and joining process and the resulting tool loads. This allows the analysis of the loads during the whole process, identifying the influences of materials and sheet thicknesses.</jats:p>