Desarrollo de un modelo matemático de diferencias finitas para el análisis del campo de temperaturas en la soldadura por arco de chapas finas de acero inoxidable

摘要

This work develops a finite difference method to evaluate the temperature field in the heat affected zone in butt welding applied to AISI 304 stainless steel thin sheet by GTAWprocess. A computer program has been developed and implemented by Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) in MS-Excel spreadsheet. The results that are obtained using the numerical application foresee the thermal behaviour of arc welding processes. An experimental methodology has been developed to validate the mathematical model that allows to measure the temperature in several points close to the weld bead. The methodology is applied to a stainless steel sheet with a thickness lower than 3 mm, although may be used for other steels and welding processes as MIG/MAG and SMAW. The data which has been obtained from the experimental procedure have been used to validate the results that have been calculated by the finite differences numerical method. The mathematical model adjustment has been carried out taking into account the experimental results. The differences found between the experimental and theoretical approaches are due to the convection and radiation heat losses, which have not been considered in the simulation model.With this simple model, the designer will be able to calculate the thermal cycles that take place in the process as well as to predict the temperature field in the proximity of the weld bead.