Optimisation of high energy welding processes for SDSS employing finite elements simulations

Application of high energy beam welding to duplex stainless steels (SDSS) is difficult, due to high cooling rates associated with these techniques, resulting, if the process is not properly controlled, in too high volume fraction of ferrite. The prediction, by means of numerical methods, of thermal fields induced during the welding process can be very useful at this regard. In the present paper, laser beam welding of UNS S 32750 (SAF 2507) plates was simulated using the finite element method and the results were compared with experimental data. The calculation of the thermal field induced by the welding process allowed the evaluation of the weld bead and heat affected zone microstructure. The good agreement between the microstructural features and the calculated thermal fields encourages the use of the numerical simulation for setting up innovative joining processes on SDSS, for which there is a lack of experimental data.