Investigation on Welded T-Joint Distortion Using Virtual Manufacturing Tools with Simplified Procedure

Abstract

This study presents a distortion analysis of a welded T-joint by using the virtual manufacturing (VM). Two different nonlinear 3D FEM-based VM systems, namely the general purpose MSC Marc/Mentat and the specialized Simufact.Welding software are compared and verified with the experiment. Both simulations are conducted based on an uncomplicated procedure without considering enormously on the weldment shape and resulting transient temperature distribution. Within this VM procedure, the heat source is modeled following Goldak’s double ellipsoid and the flow curve as one of the material properties of low carbon steel S235 is added with only one strain rate (0.001 s) based on non-linear isotropic plasticity model and von-Mises yield stress criterion. As the final outcome, the simplified procedures, weld geometry, and material properties will reduce the pre-processing without deteriorating the distortion results tremendously. Welding provides more structured and clearer simulation steps with more precise results of the angular distortion (Average of 7.25%) compared to the general purpose MSC Marc/Mentat (Average of 14.5%). This simplified simulation procedure without heat source and temperature calibration as well as complex material properties can be recommended for implementation if the time matter is constrained and the results are expected to be moderate.