Problem Description
In structural design, the welded joint is located within the bending area, or the weld seam is too close to the bending line (< 3mm).
Cost impact
The heat-affected zone of welding can alter the mechanical properties of the material, rendering the area hard and brittle, and prone to cracking during bending. To address this, factories need to add processes such as preheating, slow cooling, and post-treatment, or are forced to modify the welding sequence, resulting in a significant increase in labor hours. Such issues often double the quotation for simple parts.
Solution
Maintain a safety distance of ≥ 5mm between the welded joint and the bending area
If the structure does not allow for weld seam movement, the bending can be replaced with machining of fillets to circumvent the issue of welding after bending
Communicate with the welding engineer at the factory during the design phase to identify and correct issues early on
Regarding the overlap between the welding area and the bending area in precision sheet metal processing, how should it be handled