Abstract
In recent years, laser-arc hybrid welding has begun to be adopted for assembly welding of automotive bodies, because hybrid welding process can weld lapped steel sheets that have a lager gap than is possible with laser welding. However if the gap is wide, burn-through occurs, and, if it is excessive, the two sheets cannot be welded together. For this reason, the gap is very important for hybrid welding. In this paper, to predict the twist deformations by hybrid welding when brackets are welded in B pillar of a passenger car, the residual stresses using CAE welding analysis including heat source fitting are analyzed and the deformation results of analysis are compared with welded panels. For measuring the amount of deformations, the distances between B pillar and brackets are checked before and after hybrid welding using three dimensional reverse engineering. And then to minimize the twist deformations of panels, this kind of welding analysis can be used in jig design, suggestion of clamping conditions and welding order.
Keywords: Hybrid welding, Residual Stress, Twist Deformation, Heat Source, Welding Order, Reverse Engineering