Thermo Mechanical Analysis of Ultrasonic Welding of Metal Joints Under Different Control Parameters

Ultrasonic welding is a complex process combining the processes of interface friction, heat transfer, plastic deformation heating, and atom diffusion and so on. Even though much work has been performed to understand ultrasonic welding process, the key characteristic process parameters of ultrasonic welding process and the key control parameters for the bond quality are still questions. Based on the interactions of bond factors and previous research of ultrasonic welding process, we believe that plastic deformation and temperature which represent the energy and strain condition at bonding interface are the key process parameters related to bond. A 3-D thermal-mechanical finite element model is built to analyze the thermal and mechanical files of ultrasonic welding process of two types of aluminum alloys under different control parameters. A possible mechanism between bond quality and control parameters based on max temperature and max plastic deformation of temperature-strain map of simulation is presented.