Yi Yin

Student Name

Yi Yin

Research Title

Real-time electron beam weld shape prediction based on electron beam probing technology

Keywords

Electron beam welding, electron beam probing, weld shape prediction, weld modelling, welding quality

Sponsor

Lloyd's Register Foundation

Affiliated University

Lancaster University

Supervisors

Mr Tim Mitchell (TWI Ltd.), Dr Yingtao Tian and Prof Andrew Kennedy (Lancaster University)

Start Date

01/03/2019

Project Outline

To achieve a satisfactory electron beam welding quality for a given material and configuration, a trial-and-error approach is usually adopted to tune the electron beam   (EB) parameters against the desired weld shape before moving to the final production. To enable a ‘smarter’ welding process and reduce the inconsistent human factor, this PhD project aims to explore a numerical approach, based on finite element (FE) numerical modelling and artificial intelligence, to predict the weld bead profile, which is the main criteria for assessing welding quality. The model is set up with electron beam data collected through BeamAssure technology, an EB probing technique developed by TWI, to determine the actual focal position and power density, and thereafter predict welding quality without going through the conventional trial-and-error process. During this PhD, a real-time weld-profile prediction system will be developed and integrated in current EB welding machines to allow a less-experienced operator achieve high welding quality.