Numerical simulation of tensile strength of upset welded joints with experimental verification

Resistance upset welding (UW) is a widely used process for joining metal parts. In this process current, time and upsetting force are three parameters that affect the quality of welded products. This paper considers numerical simulation and experimental investigation of UW process parameters. The investigated parameters include heating and post-weld heating current and their corresponding duration as well as interference of the part features that form the joint. In this study, evaluation of tensile strength of the welded joint with variation of the process parameters is also reported. For numerical analysis, a two-dimensional axisymmetric model using a coupled electro-thermal finite element method is developed to study the thermal behavior of the welded joints. The results of this numerical simulation are used to determine the status of the weldment and therefore evaluate the quality of the weld at the joint. Both numerical and experimental results suggest an optimum set of welding parameters, i.e. time and electrical current that yields a maximum value for the tensile strength of the joint. Also the effects of post-weld heating time and current on the tensile strength are evaluated and show that these parameters have a remarkable effect on improving tensile strength of the weldment. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.