Prediction of weld distortion in complex, thin-walled components: the development of SDPS - TWI's structural distortion prediction system

TWI Industrial Member Report Summary 786/2004

Rick Leggatt, Geert Verhaeghe and Elizabeth Olden report on the Structural Distortion Prediction System (SDPS) developed by TWI. SDPS uses a sequential elastic finite element analysis of the assembly of the structure in which distortions are generated at the welds as each new part is added into the model.

Background

This report describes the development and testing of TWI's Structural Distortion Prediction System for modelling the accumulation of distortion during the fabrication of an aluminium TIG welded structure. The project was carried out in collaboration with BAE SYSTEMS.

Objective

To develop and evaluate a sequential elastic finite element procedure known as the Structural Distortion Prediction System (SDPS), for the prediction of the accumulation of weld distortion during the fabrication of complex welded components.