Method for designing a weld fixture based on predicted stresses and distortions
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsXiao Chen, Yi Dong, Edward T. Martin, Zhishang Yang, Wayne Tanner
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Abstract
A method for designing a weld fixture. The method includes modeling a set of distortions produced by applied mechanical forces on a material to be welded, modeling a set of distortions produced by applied thermal forces on the material to be welded, determining a set of reaction forces at a series of locations on a simulated weld fixture as a function of the modeled distortions, and designing a weld fixture as a function of the set of reaction forces.
Claims11
A method for designing a weld fixture, including the steps of:
- modeling a set of distortions produced by applied mechanical forces on a material to be welded;
- modeling a set of further distortions produced by applied thermal forces on the material to be welded;
- determining a set of maximum reaction forces at a series of locations on a simulated weld fixture as a function of the modeled distortions;
- and
- designing a weld fixture as a function of the set of maximum reaction forces.
A method for designing a fixture to hold a material to be welded during a weld process, including the steps of:
- modeling a set of distortions produced by pre-cambering of the material to be welded;
- modeling a further set of distortions produced by thermal forces on the material during the weld process;
- determining a set of maximum reaction forces at a series of locations on a simulated weld fixture as a function of the modeled distortions;
- and
- designing a weld fixture as a function of the set of maximum reaction forces.
A method for designing a fixture to hold a material to be welded during a weld process, including the steps of:
- modeling the weld process of the material to be welded;
- determining a set of distortions produced by the weld process in the model;
- determining a set of reaction forces to the distortions at a plurality of locations on a simulated weld fixture;
- and
- responsively designing a weld fixture as a function of maximum values of the reaction forces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.