Modeling of Microstructure Evolution, Residual Stresses and Distortions in 6082-T6 Aluminum Weldments

摘要

This article illustrates the applications of process modeling for prediction of microstructure evolution, residual stresses and distortions in welding of hollow AA6082-T6 extrusions. The model consists of three components, i.e., a numerical heat flow model, a micro-structure model and a mechanical model that are sequentially coupled. It is shown that the model adequately predicts the temperature and local strength distribution. The calculated distortions were found to depend strongly on the welding sequence. Moreover, the local softening of the heat-affected zone was shown to have a significant effect on the simulated residual stress distribution.