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Study of multi-pass laser welding deformation of bipolar plates by experiments and simulations

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Abstract

The mitigation of undesired welding deformation during laser welding of metal bipolar plates (BPs), which are crucial components in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), represents a significant challenge that has yet to be effectively addressed. The low weight requirements of PEMFC endow the BP with ultra-low thickness and sensitivity to processing technology. This paper introduces a study that reduces the deformation of BPs from 4 to 1 mm by implementing a novel multi-path welding process as an alternative to traditional single path welding. The research primarily investigates the weld seam space (WSS) and seven series of experiments with dissimilar WSS are conducted with the objective of minimizing deformation using specially designed welding fixtures. Following this, the weld seam stiffness and residual stress distribution are analyzed in further detail to elucidate the effects of WSS on welding deformation. Furthermore, a stress distribution indicator is proposed in this study to characterize the stress distribution. The conclusion of this study is that multi-pass welding techniques are highly effective in reducing welding deformation, particularly when the WSS is set to 0.75 mm. In principle, the stiffness of the weld seam and the distribution of residual welding stress jointly determine the welding deformation.

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Funding

This work was supported by 2021AY10081 (Jiaxing Science and Technology Bureau).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Qiantang District, Hangzhou, 310018, Zhejiang, China

    Jiabo Zhang, Kai Chen & Yigang Wang

  2. School of Intelligent Manufacturing, Jiaxing Vocational and Technical College, Nanhu District, Jiaxin, 314036, Zhejiang, China

    Jiabo Zhang, Puhong Tang & Wenbin Yang

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  1. Jiabo Zhang
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, data validation, and analysis were performed by Puhong Tang, Yigang Wang, Wenbin Yang, and Kai Chen. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Jiabo Zhang and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Yigang Wang.

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Zhang, J., Chen, K., Wang, Y. et al. Study of multi-pass laser welding deformation of bipolar plates by experiments and simulations. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 132, 2863–2875 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-024-13466-2

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