Numerical simulation of welding residual stresses in 6082-T6 thin aluminum alloy

Abstract

Thin plate aluminum alloys of the 6082 series are widely used in welded car bodies because of their excellent characteristics such as light weight and high strength. For welded joints, residual stresses significantly affect fatigue strength properties, especially in thin plate welding. In this study, the residual stresses arising from inert gas welding of thin sheet aluminum alloy metals were investigated using numerical simulation techniques. The thermo-elastic–plastic method was used to calculate simulated weld temperature and stress fields. Temperature and stress variations during the welding process were discussed to investigate the causes of residual stresses. The changes in stress during the experimental welding process were tracked, and the results were in agreement with the simulations. The impact of process parameters on welding stress was analyzed through simulation and experimentation. The results showed that residual stress decreases as speed increases and increases as power increases.