Welding Position Layout for Higher Structural Rigidity at Lower Cost
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for defining welding positions in structures, such as automotive bodies, are inefficient and do not optimize for rigidity enhancement, leading to undesired or suboptimal welding positions that increase costs and reduce overall structural characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for optimizing welding positions by defining fixed welding points through simple structure analysis or topology optimization, generating welding prospects, and performing optimization analysis to determine optimal welding points using analytic conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the amount of welding positions is increased to enhance rigidity, then structural rigidity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameters of welding position selection from conventional methods (equal intervals, experience-based, stress analysis) to a new parameter set based on rigidity enhancement contribution. By evaluating each candidate welding position's specific contribution to overall structure rigidity through finite element analysis, the system identifies positions that provide maximum rigidity improvement per welding operation, thereby optimizing the balance between rigidity enhancement and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces conventional mechanical/engineering judgment methods for welding position selection with a computer-based finite element analysis system. This substitution enables quantitative evaluation of rigidity enhancement contribution for each welding position, transforming the welding position determination from an empirical process to a scientifically optimized process that minimizes the number of welding positions needed for target rigidity achievement.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A welding-position optimization analyzing method according to the present invention is a welding-position optimization analyzing method for optimizing spot welding or continuous welding used to weld a plurality of components constituting a structure model formed of plane elements and/or three-dimensional elements. The method includes a to-be-analyzed-portion defining step of defining a to-be-analyzed portion including welding points or welding portions at which the plurality of components are welded; a fixed-welding defining step of defining at least one of the welding points or at least one of the welding portions in the defined to-be-analyzed portion as a fixed welding point or a fixed welding portion; a welding-prospect specifying step of specifying welding prospects in the to-be-analyzed portion, the welding prospects being regarded as prospects for the welding points or the welding portions; an analytic-condition applying step of defining an analytic condition applied to the to-be-analyzed portion; and an analysis step of calculating an optimal welding point or an optimal welding portion that satisfies the analytic condition from among the welding prospects.