MODELIZACIÓN NUMÉRICA DEL CONTACTO MECÁNICO Y DISTRIBUCIÓN DE TENSIONES EN SOLDADURA POR PUNTOS PARA CHAPAS DE METAL CON ESPESORES SIMILARES

Abstract

This paper shows research work which is considered in the context of joint technologies, in particular with resistance spot welding (RSW). The welding process by electrical resistance is formed by different necessary steps in order to get a joint among two plates by electrodes. This paper is focused on the first step of the welding process, that is, in the mechanical contact prior to heating of plate by the Joule effect. In this first step several geometrical factors are studied, like the diameter of the electrode, the thickness of the plate, the applied pressure and radius wear on the electrode tip. These variables characterize the mechanical contact by the stress distribution between plate and electrode. In next papers, we will carried out with the process analysis, performing a study of transient state welding process with different roughness of plate and its influence on forge process.

Keywords: spot welding; mechanical contact; joining methods; stress distribution; finite element methods