Case study results of inverse thermal analyses of 21-6-9 stainless steel laser welds are presented in this article. These analyses employ a methodology that is depicted in terms of analytic basis functions for inverse thermal analysis of steady-state energy deposition in plate structures. The results of the case studies presented provide parametric representations of weld temperature histories that can be adopted as input data to various types of computational procedures, such as those for prediction of solid-state phase transformations. In addition, these temperature histories can be used to construct parametric-function representations for inverse thermal analysis of welds corresponding to other process parameters or welding process conditions of which are within similar regimes. The case studies presented also examine specific aspects the inverse-analysis methodology relevant to further development of algorithms for its application in practice.
