Model-based approach for quality improvement of electron beam welding applications in mass production

A model-based approach is presented to obtain a definite geometry of the seam as well as to find the regimes where the results will repeat with less deviation from the desired values in the electron beam welding. Using the response surface methodology, polynomial regression models for the behaviour of weld depth and the weld width are found. In order to improve the quality of the process in mass production, by a decrease of the deviation from a target value of the performance characteristic, parameters in two models describing the mean value and the variance for the weld depth and for the weld width in mass production are estimated. Using these models quality improvement, defined as an optimisation problem to produce reproducible welds while keeping the mean value of weld depth or/and width constant, is discussed. This approach is applied to the electron beam welding of stainless steel, for beam powers in the region of 4.2-4.8 kW and welding speeds of 3.333-13.333 mm/s. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.