Sandia Optimization
&
Analysis
Routines
for automated welding
ISOSPOT-2D
ISO-2D
SPOT-3D
ISOEDGE
ISO-3D
ISO-2.5D
WELD-3D
YAG
HAZTEMP
ISOSPOT-3D
ISO3D.GAUSS
WELD-2.5D
WELD-2D
LICENSE INFORMATION
FAQ general
ETE Table
TECHNICAL DISCUSSION-1
SOAR SLIDES
METALS & ALLOYS
RELATED ARTICLES
RELATED LINKS
DEFINITIONS
SANDIA HOMEPAGE
SOAR HOME
Science based weld software to develop optimal automatic welding procedures
SOAR 3.0 Is Now Here !
With 3 new applications, & important weld sensitivity parameters!
SOAR runs fast on your Windows PC.
See the new license information to learn how to obtain your copy of SOAR.
A nominal cost student version is now available.
It is a goal at Sandia National Laboratories to apply science-based understanding of the welding process to develop optimal mechanized welding procedures. The SOAR suite of welding software applications assists engineers and technologists in this important task. This state-of-the-art approach assures the highest reliability in welded components, lowers process startup costs, reduces rework, and improves quality.
The unique set of machine parameters that is developed to successfully weld an item is commonly known as a weld procedure. With traditional time-intensive weld procedure development methods, the goal is simply to produce a specific size weld. What is not achieved or often considered is an optimized weld procedure. Similarly appearing welds can often be produced with very different parameters. In other words, there is often a more ideal weld procedure that can be used if it can only be determined.
To determine the weld procedure for new welded products typically requires a time consuming trial and error development effort where welds are made on actual hardware with procedures chosen by the skill and intuition of the engineer or machine operator. Promising welds are then examined, cross-sectioned, or tested to determine their suitability. The weld procedure that most closely meets those requirements is then chosen for production. The process is often arbitrary and not science based. SOAR does not require welds to be made in order to determine a preferred weld procedure. It is a predictive tool that eliminates those efforts.
Moreover, SOAR outputs weld procedures that will make improved welds when compared with traditional approaches. Procedures that have been developed only to meet a penetration requirement often are not ideal. Process efficiencies and other important figures of merit can often be improved. SOAR enables the user to ask "what if?" and instantly learn the effect of a change in process parameters on several important measures of quality.
For further information, be sure to check out the individual applications listed in the links to the left.
