Using of Welding Virtual Numerical Simulation as the Technical Support for Industry

Welding as a modern, highly efficient production technology found its position in almost all industries. At the same time the demands on the quality of the welded joints have been constantly growing in all production areas. Great demand on the quality of the welded joints consequently causes more experimental or prototype – so called – validation joints that take place before the welding of final construction. These experiments, prototypes aim at – for instance – defining the appropriate welding technology, material, pre-heating, welding parameters, clamping condition and optimizing the welding process. Naturally, these experiments and prototypes make production more expensive. Numerical simulations of welding – in the area of production preparation as well as of production proper – have been frequently used recently. Numerical simulations supported by experimental measurements can simulate the actual welding process very close to reality. The new material models for hardness and mechanical properties prediction based on numerical simulation solution will be introduced.The paper covers some typical welding cases from energy industrial sector. The homogenous and heterogeneous weld joints from modern energy Cr-Mo-Ni-V steels (including modern austenitic steels) were done as prototype welding. The numerical simulation of these weld joints including post weld heat treatment process were done and welding technologies were optimised based on the numerical simulation results. The calculated hardness was compared with real measurements. During project the complete material properties which are needed for numerical simulation were measured. Simplify numerical lifetime prediction of weld joints including results from numerical welding analyse (as residual stresses and plastic deformation) were done.