Modeling and simulation of inertia and continuous drive friction welding of AISI 1215 steel

• Rotary friction welding and CFD simulation of AISI 1215. • Generation and validation of the material model. • Comparison of inertia and continuous drive friction welding. • Validation of methods for comparing weld result and simulation. • Close approximation of simulation and real welds. To accurately simulate rotary friction welding (RFW), calibration of the material model and friction conditions is essential. This study focuses on developing a material model and simulation for RFW of AISI 1215 free-machining steel in the environment “virtua RFW”. Inertia (IFW) and continuous drive friction welding (CDFW) were physically performed with comparable energy inputs to calibrate the simulation. The aim of this study is to examine the calibration procedure in detail and subsequently perform a simulation-based process comparison of IFW and CDFW. For calibration, four material and friction factors were varied in an L16 Taguchi array. Different methods for evaluating simulation quality were assessed. Upset deviation and flash angle α measurement via image processing were determined to be the most suitable methods for evaluating the alignment between simulation and real welds. Optimal simulation parameters were identified for IFW, closely matching experimental results. Due to the velocity and pressure dependence of the friction behavior, a direct transfer of parameters to CDFW was not possible, requiring adjustments and regression analysis for accurate prediction. Optimized simulations showed differences in the thermomechanical behavior: IFW exhibited a steeper temperature gradient with a minimum cooling time t8/5 of 2.5 s and a double-wedge shape in the affected zone, while CDFW showed a broader, more uniform zone with a minimum cooling time t8/5 of 3 s. These findings improve the understanding of IFW and CDFW and provide calibrated simulation models that could facilitate more efficient process development.