FEA of Resistance spot welding: Methods and Applications

Resistance spot welding is the most commonly used method for joining steel sheets. It is a complex process in which coupled interactions exist between electrical, thermal, mechanical, metallurgical phenomena and even surface behaviors. Because of this complexity, it is very difficult to obtain insightful information of welding process through the experiments alone. Physical weld simulators that simulate the weld by heating and cooling the material have been used in the past. On the other hand, numerical modeling and simulation provides a powerful tool in studying these interactions. These types of simulations are nowadays used as a part of the product development process. By replacing physical testing with computer simulations, a lot of time and money can be saved and more design solutions can be numerically tested leading to more reliable products. This work provides a step by step method for simulating the spot welding process by using finite element method. It is useful for the professionals using spot welding process extensively and can help them improve their production process as well as product development capability.