Thermal Forming and Welding Distortion

Welding is one of the most popular joining techniques used in all kind of industries e.g. automotive, shipbuilding, aerospace and civil engineering. Welded joints have a Iot of advantages compared to clinched or bonded joints. Unfortunately, some unwanted side might occur in papers printed in this volume. The authors, which are effects have to be taken into account. As an unwanted side effect, heating and melting I in the contents, have sole responsibility for the papers. induce thermal strains and alter certain material properties. This Ieads to distortions and high residual stresses which should obviously be kept to a minimum. Therefore many efforts and attempts have been made to develop strategies in order to minimize distortions. Furthermore, extensive investigations of materials and thermal as weil as mechanical boundary conditions have been conducted. While welding is about avoiding distortions, thermal forming is based on using thermal strains to generate predicted shapes. Additionally well-defined heat sources offer a reproducible heat input into highly localized areas. Due to this, further investigations of the different forming mechanisms have been performed in order to get a better insight of this process. Current shared questions concerning e.g. measuring of process relevant parameters, a quasi-static process behaviour, the analysis of large structures, the influence of the material strength and hardening behaviour and fast analysis methods will be discussed. The intention of the 3rd IWOTE is to combine knowledge and experience in the fields of welding and thermal forming. The introduction of this workshop will be two generalized presentations about temperature measurement techniques and the influence of residual stresses on crack behaviour of bi-metallic joints. Further knowledge exchange is done in 11 presentations about the investigations of influences on distortion and stresses and the approaches of distortion and residual stress control during and after welding and thermal forming, 7 presentations about thermal and thermal assisted forming and 4 presentations about inverse modelling. Furthermore, 9 presentations about adjustment techniques, application of distortion control tools and darnage analysis and control possibilities will complete this workshop. The presentations are coming from scientific researchers as weil as industrial users. Knowledge on temperature and microstructure dependent material properties, heating strategies and strategies to control (de-)formations as weil as experience in experimental methods or modelling are discussed. At this point we would like to take the opportunity to warmly thank the International Advisory Committee especially for their support in attracting contributions. ln this context, further thanks should be extended to our sponsors and supporters especially the DVS (German Welding Society), ESI (Engineering System International GmbH), HansePhotonik (Kompentenznetz Optische Technologien) and the SFB 570 (Collaborative Research Center "Distortion Engineering"). Finally, many thanks are said to te team which was essential for preparation of the workshop, comprising the Junior Chatrman Dipl.-lng. Maral Babaei, Ms Heike Weers and last but not least Dipl.-lng. Jens Sakkiettibutra. Without their helping hand and engagement it would not have ben possible to assemble all the papers of the proceedings in time, to organize the r gtstration affairs and to manage thousands of little, but important things associated Wtth the IWOTE. Therefore a Iot of heart blood has been put into the Organisation of the 3rd IWOTE and we hope you will enjoy the assembled contributions, especially piled for you.