Predictive Modelling of Weld Seam Formation for Industrial GMAW Joints Using a Hybrid Simulation Approach

We present a simulation framework that unifies the major physical scales of Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) to predict weld seam formation with high fidelity. Over more than a decade, research focused on the development and coupling of models dedicated to electrical circuit behaviour, plasma and arc physics, droplet transfer, weld-pool flow, and solidification. Mesh-based magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD) calculations incorporating the EDACC model resolve the characteristic asymmetric arc attachment in the cathode region, while particle-based SPH methods capture transient droplet detachment, short-arc behaviour, melt-pool dynamics and enthalpy-porosity-based solidification. The hybrid approach quantifies how local evaporation, current density distribution, and metal flows govern weld-pool evolution and weld seam formation. The applicability to industrial welding configurations is demonstrated.