Simulating the Joining of Composite Materials by Electromagnetic Induction

The development of the electromagnetism module in LS-DYNA (980 solver) was in the past primarily driven by the need for Electromagnetic Metal Forming (EMF) simulation capabilities. As the module matures, new applications in particular in the field of induction heating for thermoplastic composite welding/joining have appeared, providing a crucial simulation tool for composite manufacturing processes utilizing this technology. In this work, induction heating characterization tests involving static plate specimens using different induction heating processing parameters have been performed and then simulated. Finite element models have been built in both LS-DYNA and COMSOL and the results and capabilities of both software codes are discussed and compared.