A simplified welding arc model by the finite element method

A welding arc model is proposed to determine the thermal cycle for various materials and for different weld types. In this paper we discuss the iterative procedure employed for non-linear heat transfer analysis using the finite element method, and in particular the boundary conditions employed to determine the heat generated in the HAZ and its dissipation during welding. The model only focuses on the grain growth zone with the objective to compute the thermal regime that controls the microstructural changes that occur during welding. Both solidified weld and liquid-solid transition zones are excluded from the model. The heat generated by the arc is applied to the vertical face of the welded edge and is indifferent to the size of the HAZ. The analytical results obtained for low carbon steel and for austenitic stainless steel, and for GMA and GTA weld types, correlate well with the observed experimental data reported in the literature.