NeT bead-on-plate round robin: Comparison of transient thermal predictions and measurements

The members of the European network NeT have undertaken parallel round robin activities measuring and predicting the residual stresses generated by laying a single Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) weld bead on an AISI Type 316L austenitic stainless steel flat plate. This is a strongly three-dimensional configuration with many of the characteristics of a repair weld. The round robin finite element predictions of transient temperatures and the extent of the melted zone are compared with thermocouple measurements made during welding, and with the results of destructive metallography. The most reliable thermocouple positions for calibrating the global heat input are identified. The actual achieved weld efficiency, and hence the heat input, are deduced from the response of these far-field thermocouples. As a result, best practice recommendations are made for finite element simulation of welding thermal transients