Welding has established itself as a durable joining process in many industries and has a long history. In this age of digitalization, welding processes are becoming increasingly automated. However, high-quality requirements for the fabrication, design, and layout of welded joints still demand that designers and engineers possess the appropriate expertise. Knowledge of how to verify welds is essential for this. It is important not to oversize welds for the sake of efficiency, yet to ensure they are sufficiently robust for safety reasons, as component failure due to incorrectly calculated welds can result in significant damage—including personal injury.

The design of welded joints with their various welds is often a complex process, as a large number of parameters (such as weld thicknesses, weld locations, and loads) must be taken into account. Although it is possible to simulate the welded joint using the finite element method, developing a suitable FE model is complex and time-consuming, and this method offers only limited capabilities for safety verification.

Depending on the type of load and stress, as well as the geometry and the applicable standard or set of regulations, different approaches can be used to evaluate the load-bearing capacity of welds.

1. Safety:Automated, standards-compliant calculations lead to reliable results.
2. Optimization:Components and welds must not be oversized in order to meet design goals such as lightweight construction, efficiency, and sustainability.
3. Proportionality:The welded joint should not be designed with excessive safety margins, but should be as safe as necessary, while ensuring the highest level of reliability.
4. Up-to-date:Contemporary verification of welded components based on current guidelines (Eurocode 3, DVS, FKM)
5. Obligation to Provide Evidence:The automatic generation of comprehensive project documentation fulfills documentation requirements in other languages as well.

In addition, digital processes facilitate cross-departmental and cross-location teamwork, which is becoming increasingly important in light of growing demands on work processes and competitiveness.

MDESIGN Like all MDESIGN calculation libraries, weld offers a user-friendly interface for immediate use. Required parameters—such as joint configuration, weld type, and weld thickness, as well as boundary conditions and loads—can be quickly specified. Help, recommendations, and tips are provided in conjunction with a graphical wizard. Databases for profiles, geometric shapes, and materials provide easy access to numerous standard profiles. You can also integrate your own material properties into the databases. You can generate your calculation documentation with the click of a button—including in English. This project documentation ensures the reliability of your design verification.

To date, no uniform standard has been established for the design of welded joints. Depending on the application, several calculation methods exist in parallel—for example, the DVS Technical Bulletin, the FKM Guideline, and Eurocode 3. The designer must therefore decide which method to use based on specific requirements. The “ MDESIGN ” Knowledge Update provides the necessary expertise on the key principles of welding processes and the relevant material properties involved in welding.

The online seminar“Design , and Verification of Welds”provides practical technical and methodological knowledge for the successful use of welded joints. In addition, the seminar focuses on the causes of weld defects and their effects on the welded structure, as well as how to prevent them. Design your welded joints to comply with standards, withstand the intended loads, and be efficient.