Simulation of laser brazing of sheet panels and parametric studies of thermally-induced distortion reduction. (December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lou, Ming; Cai, Wayne; Huang, Jun; Wang, Hui-Ping; Li, Yongbing; Carlson, Blair E.; Poss, Michael G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of manufacturing processes. Volume 60(2020)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 10
• Publication Date: 2020-12
• Subjects: Laser brazing -- Thermal distortion -- Finite element analysis -- Thermal-structural simulation -- Parametric study; Production management -- Data processing -- Periodicals; Manufacturing processes -- Periodicals; Procestechnologie; Productietechniek; Production -- Gestion -- Informatique -- Périodiques; Fabrication -- Périodiques; Manufacturing processes; Production management -- Data processing; Periodicals; 670.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmapro.2020.10.030
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1526-6125

Abstract

Abstract: Laser brazing has recently become a preferred process for the joining of thin-gauge sheet metal for outer closures in automotive body structures. One of the key concerns is the very small and often hard-to-predict surface distortions resulting from the transient and high-powered laser heat input. In this study, we established an efficient shell-element-based sequential thermal-structural finite element simulation procedure to predict the laser-brazing-induced surface distortion. The procedure was experimentally validated via both temperature and distortion measurements in laser brazing of two 0.65 mm thick L-shape steel plates. Following the established procedure, a series of simulation cases were carried out to parametrically study the effects of laser beam offset, clamping conditions and trailing cooling on the predicted distortions. It was found that strong fixturing and trailing cooling can effectively reduce brazing-induced distortion.