Method for determining a model for a welding simulation and model thereof

• US 6,768,974 B1
• Filed: 10/10/2000
• Issued: 07/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Dong, Yi, Dong, Pingsha, Nanjundan, Ashok, Zhang, Jinmiao, Brust, Frederick W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PALADINI, ALBERT WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US09/685,909
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 703/6, 703/7, 703/5, 228/103, 228/101, 219/137.R, 219/110
• US Class Current: 703/7
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/24 Use of tools
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/16 for science of heat

Abstract

A method for determining a model for a welding simulation, and the associated model. The method includes the steps of determining a history annihilation model of a material being welded, determining a strain hardening model of the material being welded, determining a three-dimensional virtual elements detection model of the material being welded, and incorporating the above models into a constitutive model for the welding simulation.

Claims

1. A method for determining a model for a welding simulation, including the steps of:

determining a history annihilation model of a material being welded;

determining a strain hardening model of the material being welded;

determining a three-dimensional virtual elements detection model of the material being welded; and

incorporating the above models into a constitutive model for the welding simulation.

2. A method, as set forth in claim 1, further including the steps of:

determining a phase transformation model of the material being welded; and

incorporating the phase transformation model into the constitutive model.

3. A method, as set forth in claim 2, wherein determining a phase transformation model includes the step of modeling changes in microstructure of the material being welded.

4. A method, as set forth in claim 1, further including the steps of:

determining a large deformation model of the material being welded; and

incorporating the large deformation model into the constitutive model.

5. A method, as set forth in claim 4, wherein determining a large deformation model includes the step of modeling a set of characteristics between conditions of plastic and elastic annealing strains of the material being welded.

6. A method, as set forth in claim 1, further including the steps of:

determining a phase transformation model of the material being welded;

determining a large deformation model of the material being welded; and

incorporating the above models into the constitutive model.

7. A method, as set forth in claim 6, further including the steps of:

storing a temperature history of the material being welded; and

providing the temperature history to at least one of the above models.

8. A method, as set forth in claim 6, further including the steps of:

storing data relevant to the material being welded; and

providing the data to at least one of the above models.

9. A method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the data includes microstructure data of the material being welded.

10. A method, as set forth in claim 8, wherein the data includes stress and strain data of the material being welded.

11. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein determining a history annihilation model includes at least one of the steps of:

modeling melting/remelting of the material being welded; and

modeling annealing of the material being welded.

12. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein determining a strain hardening model includes the step of modeling a yield strength of the material being welded.

13. A method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein determining a three-dimensional virtual elements detection model includes the step of assuming a predetermined minimal stiffness value for each of a plurality of future weld passes.

14. A method for determining a model for a welding simulation, including the steps of:

determining a history annihilation model of a material being welded;

determining a phase transformation model of the material being welded;

determining a three-dimensional virtual elements detection model of the material being welded; and

incorporating the above models into a constitutive model for the welding simulation.

15. A method, as set forth in claim 14, further including the steps of:

determining a strain hardening model of the material being welded; and

incorporating the strain hardening model into the constitutive model.

16. A method, as set forth in claim 14, further including the steps of:

determining a large deformation model of the material being welded; and

incorporating the large deformation model into the constitutive model.

17. A method, as set forth in claim 14, further including the steps of:

determining a strain hardening model of the material being welded;

determining a large deformation model of the material being welded; and

incorporating the above models into the constitutive model.

18. A method for determining a model for a welding simulation, including the steps of:

determining a history annihilation model of a material being welded;

determining a strain hardening model of the material being welded;

determining a phase transformation model of the material being welded;

determining a large deformation model of the material being welded;

determining a three-dimensional virtual elements detection model of the material being welded; and

incorporating the above models into a constitutive model for the welding simulation.

19. A constitutive model for a welding simulation, comprising:

a history annihilation model of a material being welded;

a strain hardening model of the material being welded;

a three-dimensional virtual elements detection model of the material being welded; and

means for incorporating the above models into a constitutive model for the welding simulation.

20. A model, as set forth in claim 19, further including:

a phase transformation model of the material being welded; and

means for incorporating the phase transformation model into the constitutive model.

21. A model, as set forth in claim 20, wherein the phase transformation model is adapted to model changes in microstructure of the material being welded.

22. A model, as set forth in claim 19, further including:

a large deformation model of the material being welded; and

means for incorporating the large deformation model into the constitutive model.

23. A model, as set forth in claim 22, wherein the large deformation model is adapted to model a set of characteristics between conditions of plastic and elastic annealing strains of the material being welded.

24. A model, as set forth in claim 19, further including:

a phase transformation model of the material being welded;

a large deformation model of the material being welded; and

means for incorporating the above models into the constitutive model.

25. A model, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the history annihilation model is adapted to model at least one of:

melting/remelting of the material being welded; and

annealing of the material being welded.

26. A model, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the strain hardening model is adapted to model a yield strength of the material being welded.

27. A model, as set forth in claim 19, wherein the three-dimensional virtual elements detection model is adapted to model a predetermined minimal stiffness value for each of a plurality of future weld passes.

28. A constitutive model for a welding simulation, comprising:

a history annihilation model of a material being welded;

a phase transformation model of the material being welded;

a three-dimensional virtual elements detection model of the material being welded; and

means for incorporating the above models into a constitutive model for the welding simulation.

29. A model, as set forth in claim 28, further including:

a strain hardening model of the material being welded; and

means for incorporating the strain hardening model into the constitutive model.

30. A model, as set forth in claim 28, further including:

a large deformation model of the material being welded; and

means for incorporating the large deformation model into the constitutive model.

31. A model, as set forth in claim 28, further including:

a strain hardening model of the material being welded;

a large deformation model of the material being welded; and

means for incorporating the above models into the constitutive model.

32. A constitutive model for a welding simulation, comprising:

a history annihilation model of a material being welded;

a strain hardening model of the material being welded;

a phase transformation model of the material being welded;

a large deformation model of the material being welded;

a three-dimensional virtual elements detection model of the material being welded; and

means for incorporating the above models into a constitutive model for the welding simulation.