A grey-box approach for robust resistance pressure welding monitoring

Resistance pressure welding nowadays is considered as one of the most economically viable joining techniques. Especially in the production of large volumes, it is at the core of many highly automated manufacturing plants. Yet, in industrial practice, this joining technique is very prone to quality issues. This is mainly due to often uncontrollable variable process conditions stemming from environmental effects, misalignments, wear ... . Nowadays, modern multi-physical numerical modelling tools capable of performing simulations of the resistance pressure welding process can help us to understand and give insight in these phenomena, enabling off-line process optimisation and failure prevention. The objective of this project is to study how these ‘white-box’ models can be optimised and extended in order to cover for the quality-related operational variabilities through the use of advanced uncertainty quantification techniques, and how these can be enriched with data to ‘grey-box’ models capable of on-line process monitoring.

Keywords:process simulation, resistance pressure welding, uncertainty quantification, grey-box modelling

Disciplines:Computer aided engineering, simulation and design, Numerical modelling and design