Low-Cost Methodology for Obtaining CCT Welding Diagrams

The joining of metals is often associated to metallurgical problems, which is specific for each material and, therefore, demands dedicated and time-consuming study. Specifically, metallurgical transformations in the HAZ (Heat Affected Zone) can occur and lead to microestructural changes such as grain growth, fragile structures presence, cracking, among others. The HAZ is a difficult region for studying due to its small dimensions, where its properties are defined basically by the base metal characteristics and the factors that affect the thermal cycle of the process. Thus, in order to overcome this limitation of the HAZ study, there are in the literature different proposes of HAZ-simulator machines, which uses the Joule effect for heating specific coupons that cool down by conduction and convection. This approach intends to simulate the thermal cycle in a "real" HAZ obtained in a "real" welding. Comercial simulators are available at very high costs. Therefore, the development of a low-cost machine is welcome. In a previous study, the proposition and construction of this machine, based on the modification of resistance spot welding equipment, was carried out and the first coupons were fabricated in a cylindrical geometry. Although the machine provides sufficient energy, the use of traditional coupons with cylindrical geometry presents restrictions of portraying the "real" case, i.e., the welding. In the cylindrical geometry option, the obtained thermal cycles do not present temperature gradients closer to the ones in "real" weldments. Hence, to overcome this limitation, finite elements modelling was carried out and different coupon geometries were simulated. The objective is to reach thermal cycles as close as possible fa, the ones obtained in a "real" situation. A database of different geometrical features was achieved by using the finite element analyses. This database was used as the input of model regression analyses by using statistical ANOVA. The empirical resulting model Was employed as the input of an optimization algorithm, which is used for searching a given cooling rate desired by the user From these results is possible to obtain different cooling rates and build-up Continuous Cooling Transformation (CCT) Diagrams dedicated to welding, i.e., with higher cooling rates. Comparison was found in good agreement between obtained diagrams and the literature ones.