Case Study: Stara reduces welding distortions with Hexagon Simufact Welding

Numerical Simulation of Welding Distortions (GMAW) in agricultural implements

Stara Indústria de Implementos Agrícolas, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery, faced the significant challenge of welding distortions in the chassis of its self-propelled implements. These distortions caused assemblies to fall outside design tolerances, leading to a costly process of trial and error, rework, and a high dependence on experienced professionals.

To solve this, Stara partnered with Hexagon, utilizing their Simufact Welding software to create a finite element model of the chassis. The solution involved simulating the welding process to predict distortions and then applying a pre-deformation technique in the fixture design, which was informed by the simulation data. This approach, verified using Hexagon's Leica Laser Tracker for scanning, resulted in dramatic reductions of up to 87.4% in distortion. The project successfully minimized try-out times, optimized the manufacturing process, and ensured the final welded main rails stayed within the required tolerances.

Stara