Numerical Modeling of High-Velocity Impact Welding

To support the lightweighting aim in the automotive industry, High-Velocity Impact Welding (HVIW) can be used to join dissimilar metals. The manufacturing industry often relies on numerical simulations to reduce the number of trial-and-error iterations required during the process development to reduce costs. However, this can be difficult in high strain rate manufacturing processes where extremely high plastic strain regions develop. Thus, a traditional Lagrangian analysis is not able to accurately model the process due to excessive element distortion. In order to further understand the science behind HVIW processes and benefits of various numerical simulation methodologies, two methods were utilized to simulate Al/Fe bimetallic system which is of interest for the automotive industry. First, a Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) model of two impacting plates was created. Using SPH method, metal jet emission was investigated which previously was impossible. The results then were compared with an Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method. Finally, the numerical results were compared with experimental tests using a Vaporizing Foil Actuator Welding process.