Simulation of rotary friction welding using a viscoelastic Maxwell model

A 3-D finite element model of rotary friction welding was developed using a viscoelastic Maxwell model. The thermal softening of the material was accounted for in the viscous part of the material model as well as in an additional friction model. The thermal and mechanical material data were adapted from existing data of tempering steel AISI 4140. The final model was used to predict rotary friction welding of shafts using three different parameter settings. The simulation results showed that the melt temperature was never exceeded at the faying surfaces, which is seen as a main characteristic of friction welding. Subsequent validation also demonstrated that the shortening of the specimen as well as the resulting flash geometry could be predicted successfully.