This article studies the three dimensional transient weld pool dynamics and the influence of groove angle on welding of low carbon structural steel plates using the ForceArc® process. The deformation of the weld bead is also calculated with an accurate coupling of the heat transfer with fluid flow through continuity, momentum and the energy equations combined with the effect of droplet impingement, gravity, electromagnetic force, buoyancy, drag forces and surface tension force (Marangoni effect). Different angles of V groove are employed under the same welding parameters and their influence on the weld pool behavior and weld bead geometry is calculated and analyzed, which is needed for subsequent calculations of residual stress and distortion of the workpiece.
Such a simulation is an effective way to study welding processes because the influence of all welding parameters can be analyzed separately with respect to heat transfer, weld pool dynamic, and microstructure of the weld. Good agreement is found between the predicted and experimentally determined weld bead cross-section and temperature cycles. It is found that the main flow pattern is more or less the same although the groove angle increases, but it will evoke larger amount of fluid to flow downward to get deeper penetration.
This article studies the three dimensional transient weld pool dynamics and the influence of joint preparation angle on welding of low carbon structural steel plates using the ForceArc® process. ForceArc is a new gas metal arc welding technology which allows adequate fusion and penetration with a smaller V groove angle. This enhances welding efficiency significantly because of reduction of layers and low material consumption.
The deformation of the weld bead is calculated with an accurate coupling of the heat transfer with fluid flow through continuity, momentum and the energy equations combined with the effect of droplet impingement, gravity, electromagnetic force, buoyancy, drag forces and surface tension force (Marangoni effect). Four different angles of V groove are employed with the same welding parameters and their influence on the weld pool behavior and weld bead geometry is calculated and analyzed, to allow subsequent calculations of residual stress and distortion of the workpiece.
Such a simulation is an effective way to study welding processes because the influence of all the welding parameters can be analyzed separately with respect to thermal cycle, weld bead formation, and the microstructure of the weld. Good agreement is shown between the predicted and experimentally determined weld bead dimensions. It was found that with a larger groove angle, the penetration depth increases. Furthermore, a higher wire feeding rate is needed to fill the larger groove. The model presented can be used for further analyses of GMAW processes as well as input data for the numerical calculation of welding induced residual stresses and distortions using Computational Weld Mechanics CWM.