Finite element modelling: A solution to seam end cracking?

Seam end cracking has been a common feature of many single sided seam welding installations. The crack tends to be located about 140 mm in from the plate end, but this distance has been found to be related to plate thickness. In addition, the longer cracks tend to be more prevalent in thicker plates. The incidence of cracking in this particular case was typically 38%, which incurred significant inspection and rectification costs. The present study presents a detailed FEM study of a slot run-off plate configuration that was carried out using a thermo-mechanical model. The outcome of this investigation was that the run-off plate slot angle had an effect on the potential for cracking but the slot width did not. When the slot run-off plate was used in practice, over a wide range in thickness, the transverse cracking was eliminated.