Efficient spot welding sequence simulation in compliant variation simulation
Paper in proceeding, 2020

Geometric variation is one of the sources of quality issues in a product. Spot welding is an operation that impacts the final geometric variation of a sheet metal assembly considerably. Evaluating the outcome of the assembly, considering the existing geometrical variation between the components can be achieved using the Method of Influence Coefficients (MIC), based on the Finite Element Method (FEM). The sequence, with which the spot welding operation is performed, influences the final geometric deformations of the assembly. Finding the optimal sequence that results in the minimum geometric deformation is a combinatorial problem that is experimentally and computationally expensive. For an assembly with N number of welds, there are N! possible sequences to perform the spot welding operation. Traditionally, spot welding optimization strategies have been to simulate the geometric variation of the spot-welded assembly after the assembly has been positioned in an inspection fixture, using an appropriate measure of variation. In this approach, the calculation of deformation after springback is one of the most time-consuming steps. In this paper, the cause of variation in the deformations after the springback, between different sequences is identified. The relative displacements of the weld points in the assembly fixture, when welded in a sequence, is the source of such behavior. Capturing these displacements leads to large time savings during sequence optimization. Moreover, this approach is independent of the inspection fixture. The relative weld displacements have been evaluated on two sheet metal assemblies. The sequence optimization problem has been solved for the two assemblies using this approach. The optimal sequence, the corresponding final assembly deformations, and the time-consumption have been compared to the traditional approach. The results show a significant correlation between the weld relative displacements in the assembly fixture, and the assembly deformation in the inspection fixture. Considering the relative weld displacement makes each assembly evaluation less time-consuming, and thereby, sequence optimization time can be reduced up to 30%, compared to the traditional approach.

Optimization

Sequence

Compliant variation simulation

Deformation

Spot welding

Author

Roham Sadeghi Tabar

Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Product Development

Samuel C Lorin

Fraunhofer-Chalmers Centre

Christoffer Cromvik

Fraunhofer-Chalmers Centre

Lars Lindkvist

Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Product Development

Kristina Wärmefjord

Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Product Development

Rikard Söderberg

Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science

ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE)

Vol. 2B-2020
9780791884492 (ISBN)

ASME 2020 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, IMECE 2020
Virtual, Online, ,

Subject Categories

Applied Mechanics

Manufacturing, Surface and Joining Technology

Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering

DOI

10.1115/IMECE2020-23798

More information

Latest update

1/3/2024 9