Thermo-Mechanical Capability Analysis of an Adjustable Positioning Clamping Arm for Welding Workpieces
Keywords:
Finite Element Analysis, Thermal Stress, Mechanical Behavior, Heat Transfer, Welding Workpiece Clamping ArmAbstract
The purpose of the current research is to examine the structural capacity of a clamping arm that helps position a workpiece in the welding operation when subjected to mechanical and thermal loads, which can be adjusted. The coupled field finite element simulation was carried out on S275 structural steel using ANSYS software by subjecting the material to an eccentric compression force of 11.57 N while varying the temperature within the range of 25-450 °C. The accuracy of the proposed model was confirmed using theoretical predictions based on engineering mechanics. It has been observed that in the presence of mechanical load, it exhibits extremely high capacity with maximum Von Mises equivalent stress of 4.76 MPa and factor of safety (F.S.) of 49.8 at room temperature. According to the coupled-field analysis, it can be stated that the stress level rises from 43.38 MPa at 25 °C to 364.45 MPa at 450 °C, leading to a decrease in factor of safety from 6.34 at room temperature to 1.63 at 200 °C and becomes less than 1.00 if the temperature is above around 255 °C. At 300 °C, the F.S. becomes 0.71, hence plastic collapse takes place even before reaching 300 °C. It has been observed that the failure of the device is caused mainly by thermal loading and not mechanical loading. It thus provides the upper limit of operating temperature as 250 °C and safety definitions for industrial purposes, and the analytical framework too, which are validated and minimize the need for fabricating prototype specimens.
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