Numerical Simulation on Laser Welding Deformation of Sandwich Structure with Curved Surface

doi:10.3901/JME.2025.06.121

Abstract

Abstract: Based on the thermal-elastic-plastic finite element method (TEP-FEM) and inherent strain theory, the laser welding deformation of curved sandwich structure was calculated with ABAQUS general finite element simulation platform. Firstly, for the curved laser welding T-joint, the welding deformation was simulated based on the TEP-FEM considering material nonlinearity, geometric nonlinearity and contact nonlinearity, and compared with the test results to verify the prediction accuracy of the heat source and material model was higher than 95%. Then, influence of different constraint conditions on welding deformation was investigated, and the calculation results of TEP-FEM and inherent strain method were compared to guarantee the reliability of the prediction results of welding deformation by inherent strain method. Finally, based on the inherent strain method, influence of welding sequence on the welding deformation of the curved sandwich structure was investigated. Results showed that by using the welding sequence of middle welds before side welds, the distance change of panels of the curved sandwich structure could be effectively controlled within 0.6 mm, which can satisfy the welding requirement of large structures. By considering the effect of different constraint effect in the TEP-FEM, the prediction accuracy of welding deformation can be improved through inherent strain theory for large structures.

Key words: welding deformation, inherent strain, numerical simulation, external constraint, welding sequence

CLC Number:

TG404

SHAO Chendong, MA Jiangkun, HUANG Shuyu, LAN Ling, WU Guangming, LU Fenggui. Numerical Simulation on Laser Welding Deformation of Sandwich Structure with Curved Surface[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2025, 61(6): 121-132.

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