Prediction and Measurement of Microstructure and Residual Stresses due to Electron Beam Welding Process

Electron beam (EB) welding process is characterized by an extremely high power density that is capable of producing weld seams which are considerably deeper than width. Unlike other welding process, heat of EB welding is provided by the kinetic energy of electrons. This paper presents a computational model for the numerical prediction of microstructure and residual stress resulting from EB welding process. Energy input is modeled as a step function within the fusion zone. The predicted values from finite element simulation of the EB welding process agree well with the experimentally measured values. The present model is used to study an axial weld failure problem.