An Energy Balance Method for the Numerical Simulation of Inertia Welding

Abstract This paper presents the results of numerical simulations and experimental measurements of temperature distributions in heat-affected zones formed during inertia welding. These were obtained from the inertia welding of Inconel 718 (IN718) toIN718 and the inertia welding of IN718 to 1045 Steel. Microstructures of the heat-affected zone are presented along with microhardness profiles for similar and dissimilar inertia welds. The measured temperature profiles are compared with numerical/finite element predictions of temperature distributions in the heat-affected zone. The effects of friction welding parameters on the temperature distributions in the heat-affected zone are modeled using the finite element method. The experimental results are compared with predictions from numerical analysis. The implications of the results are then discussed.