Computer modeling of welding process parameters for pipes made of highloyed corrosion-resistant steels

The article presents the results of computer simulation (FEM in ESI SYSWELD) of the automatic submerged arc welding process for longitudinal butt joints of large-diameter pipes (508×12.7 mm) made of high-alloy corrosion-resistant steel 03Cr18Ni9. The aim of the work was to establish the relationship between weld overlap depth and linear heat input and to determine its optimal value. The simulation was conducted for a range of linear heat input values (17–27 kJ/cm). It was found that the optimal regime corresponds to a linear heat input of 24.8 kJ/cm, which ensures a weld overlap of 3 mm and minimal heat input. Based on the results, a mathematical relationship with a coefficient of determination R2 = 0.9926 was derived. The results can be used to optimize welding procedure specifications, reducing the costs associated with full-scale experiments.