A Parametric Study of Resistance Spot Welding of a Dual-Phase Steel Using Finite Element Analysis

This research uses Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to simulate the influence of processing parameters on Resistance Spot Welding of a dual-phase steel. The simulations and boundary conditions were run using the FEA software SYSWELD. The model utilized accounts for several interactions between electro-kinetics, heat transfer, phase transformations, and mechanical behavior. The parameters varied in this study included, the electrical current intensity, the welding time, the sheet thickness, the electrode face radius, and the squeeze force. The design of experiments (DOE) method was used to analyze the main effects and interactions of the various parameters over a realistic range of values. The simulation results supplied weld properties, which were analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) technique to quantify the parameters’ effects and their significance. The current intensity was found to be the most influential factor with an expanding effect on the size of molten zone and the heat affected zone. The sheet thickness and welding time also showed significant contributions. The effect of the other parameters was less significant. The importance of this study is to find the process window for welding parameters that can result in the desired weld properties.