Numerical simulation and experimental validation of the welding operation of the railcar bogie frame to prevent distortion

The need for an efficient welding process which is fast, safe, cost-effective and will produce a welded structure that combines high strength with integrity during railcar manufacturing is necessary due to the increasing demand and complexity of the manufacturing process. In this study, the Taguchi method and response surface methodology (RSM) were used for the numerical experimentation design of a railcar bogie frame. The modelling and simulation of the railcar bogie frame was conducted using the Commercial Abaqus software 2018. Using the Taguchi method, the designed experiment consists of an orthogonal array of four factors varied over three levels with the welding parameters in the following ranges: voltage (22–25 V), current (200–250 A), speed (0.01 m/s) and arc length (0.03–0.07 m) as input variables. The matrix generated nine experimental runs whose weld distortions were determined via the physical experimentations. Also, the RSM was used to study the cross effect of the input welding parameters on the welded structure. The statistical analysis of the results obtained brought about the development of a predictive model for the determination of weld distortion as function of the independent welding input parameters. In addition, the results indicate that the input welding parameters are critical factors that affect welding processes significantly, hence the need for control. This work will assist manufacturers in the quest for effective process control during the welding operation.