• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.71-76
• /
• 2006

In this study, the microstructure and mechanical properties of spot friction stir welded A 5052 alloy were investigated. Especially, the effect of insertion depth of welding tool on microstructural changes and mechanical properties was investigated in order to obtain the optimum spot friction stir welding condition. The lap shear load of spot friction stir welded A 5052 alloy plates showed lower value at the shallowest insertion depth and increased with tool insertion depth. At 1.6mm, the maximum value of 3.35 kN was obtained, and then dropped to lower load when the insertion depth was deeper. Spot friction stir welded joints showed shear fracture mode at shallower insertion depths and fracture mode changed to plug fracture mode as the insertion depth was deeper.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2013

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid state joining technique that has expanded rapidly since its development in 1991 and has numerous applications in a wide variety of industries. This paper introduces the basic principles of friction stir welding (FSW) and presents a survey of the latest technologies and applications in the field. The basic principles that are discussed include the terminology, tool/workpiece processes, FSW merits and process variants. In particular, the process variants including the rotation speed and traveling speed are discussed, which include the defect-free zone in an oxygen free copper and Al alloy, respectively. Multiple aspects of the FSW machine are developed, including a horizontal 2D FSW machine and a hybrid complex FSW machine. The latest applications are introduced, with an emphasis on the recent advances in the aerospace, automotive, and IT display industries. Finally, the direction for future research and potential applications are examined.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
• /
• 2002.10a
• /
• pp.493-498
• /
• 2002

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new solid-state joining process which can homogenize the heterogeneous microstructure by intensely plastic deformation arising from the rotation of the welding tool. The present study applied the FSW to an A356 aluminum (AI) alloy with the as-cast heterogeneous microstructure in the T6 temper condition, and examined an effect of microstructure on mechanical properties in the weld. The base material consisted of Al matrix with a high density of strengthening precipitates, large eutectic silicon and a lot of porosities. The FSW led to fragment of the eutectic silicon, extinction of the porosities and dissolution of the strengthening precipitates in the Al alloy. The dissolution of strengthening precipitates reduced the hardness of the weld around the weld center and the transverse ultimate tensile strength of the weld. Longitudinal tensile specimen containing only the stir zone showed the roughly same strength as the base material and a much larger elongation. Moreover, Charpy impact tests indicated that the stir zone had remarkably the higher absorbed energy than the base material. The higher mechanical properties of the stir zone were attributed to a homogenization of the as-cast heterogeneous microstructure by FSW.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.63-71
• /
• 2011

Three-dimensional finite element analysis is performed to study the temperature distribution phenomenon of TIG assisted friction stir welding (TAFSW) between dissimilar plates (Al 6061-T6 and stainless steel 304). TAFSW is a solid-state welding process that integrates TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) into a friction stir welding (FSW), to preheat the harder material ahead of FSW tool during welding. In order to facilitate the industrial application of welding, 3D numerical modeling of heat transfer has been carried out applying Finite Element Method (FEM). The temperature distribution due to heat generation during TAFSW on dissimilar materials joint is analysed using in-house solver. Moving heat source along with frictional heat between the work specimens and tool surface is considered to calculate the heat input. The analytical model used predicts successfully the maximum welding temperatures that occur on the dissimilar materials during TAFSW. Comparison with the infra red camera and thermocouple measurement results shows that the results from the current numerical simulation have good agreement with the measured data.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
• /
• 2009.11a
• /
• pp.239-242
• /
• 2009

Friction stir spot welding (FSSW), developed based on principle of friction stir welding, has been paid attention as a new solid-state spot welding process. Since FSSW can produce high-quality weld in Al alloys more easily than resistance spot welding, this process has been already used for construction of Al components in the automotive industries. Despite the large industrial interests in FSSW, fundamental knowledge on welding phenomena of this process has not been fully understood. In this study, FSSW phenomena, such as the consolidation mechanism, the microstructural evolution and the material flow, were examined in Al alloy 6061. This study clarified that the elliptical zone found in the vicinity of the pin hole on the cross section was characterized by the initially lapped surface of two sheets. Moreover, the following material flow was proposed; capture of the upper material with the threads on the pin surface, spiral flow along the tool rotation, and then release at the tip of the pin.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.99-104
• /
• 2017

Friction stir welding is a solid-state joining process and is useful for joining dissimilar metal sheets. In this study, the experimental conditions of the friction stir welding were determined by the two-way factorial design to evaluate the characteristics of the dissimilar friction stir welding of AZ31 and AZ61 magnesium alloys. The levels of rotation speed and welding speed, which are welding variables, were 1000, 2000, 3000 rpm and 100, 200, 300 mm/min, respectively. From the results, the greater the rotation speed and the lower the welding speed of the tool were, the greater the tensile strength of the welded part was. The contribution of the welding speed of the tool is larger than that of the rotation speed of the tool. In addition, the optimal conditions for tensile strength in the dissimilar friction stir joint were predicted to be the rotation speed of 3000 rpm and welding speed of 100 mm/min, and the tensile strength under the optimal conditions was estimated to be $214{\pm}6.57Mpa$ with 99% reliability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.270-278
• /
• 2009

Friction stir welding is a relatively new solid state joining process. A6061-T6 and A5052-H32 aluminium alloy has gathered wide acceptance in the fabrication of light weight structures requiring a high strength to weight ratio and good corrosion resistance. This friction stir process uses a non-consumable tool to generate frictional heat in the abutting surfaces. The welding parameters such as tool rotational speed, welding speed, etc., and tool pin profile play a major role in deciding FSP zone formation in A6061-T6 and A5052-H32 aluminium alloy. Three different tool pin profiles have been used to fabricate the dissimilar butt joints. The formation of friction stir processed zone has been analysed macroscopically. Tensile properties of the joints have been evaluated and correlated with the friction stir processed zone formation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.22-28
• /
• 2008

Friction stir welding(FSW) is an relatively new solid state joining process. A1606l-T6 aluminium alloy has gathered wide acceptance in the fabrication of light weight structures requiring a high strength to weight ratio and good corrosion resistance. This friction stir process(FSP) uses a non-consumable tool to generate frictional heat in the abutting surfaces. The welding parameters such as tool rotational speed, welding speed, etc., and tool pin profile playa major role in deciding FSP zone formation in A16061-T6 aluminium alloy. Tow different tool pin profiles have been used to fabricate the joints. The formation of friction stir processed zone has been analysed macroscopically. Tensile properties of the joints have been evaluated and correlated with the friction stir processed zone formation.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.759-766
• /
• 2018

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a solid-state process, where the objects are joined together without reaching their melting point. It has been shown that this method is a suitable way to join dissimilar aluminium alloys. The current article employed hole drilling technique to measure the residual stress distribution experimentally in different zones of dissimilar aluminium alloys AA6061-T6 and AA7075-T6 Butt welded using FSW. Results are compared with those of similar AA6061-T6 plates joined using a conventional fusion welding method called tungsten inert gas (TIG). Also, the evolution of the residual stresses in the thickness direction was investigated, and it was found that the maximum residual stresses are below the yield strength of the material in the shoulder region. It was also revealed that the longitudinal residual stresses in the joint were much larger than the transverse residual stresses. Meanwhile, Vickers micro hardness measurements were performed in the cross-section of the samples. The largest hardness values were observed in the stir zone (SZ) adjacent to the advancing side whereas low hardness values were measured at the HAZ of both alloys and the SZ adjacent to the retreating side.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.33-40
• /
• 2016

The microstructures and the creep rupture properties of dissimilar welds between the Ni-based superalloy Inconel 740H and the non-stabilized austenitic stainless steel TP316H have been characterized. The welds were produced by shielded metal arc (SMA) welding process with the AWS A5.11 Class ENiCrFe-3 filler metal, commonly known as Inconel 182 superalloy. Postweld heat treatment at $760^{\circ}C$ for 4 hours was conducted to form ${\gamma}^{\prime}$ strengthener in Inconel 740H. The austenitic weld metal produced by Inconel 182 had a dendritic microstructure, and grew epitaxially from the both sides of Inconel 740H and TP316H base metals. Since both Inconel 740H and TP316H did not undergo any solid-state transformation during welding process, there were no heat-affected-zone (HAZ) sub-regions and the coarsoned grains near the weld interface were limited to a narrow region. The hardness of Inconel 182 weld metal was ~220 Hv. The gradual hardness decrease was detected at HAZ of TP316H, and the TP316H base metal displayed the lowest hardness value (~180 Hv) whilst the Inconel 740H showed the highest hardness value (~400 Hv). Fracture after creep occurred at the center of weld metal, regardless of creep condition. It was found that during creep the cracks initiated and propagated along interdendritic regions and grain boundaries at which Laves particles enriched in Nb, Si and Cr were present. The appropriate design of weld metal was discussed to suppress the creep-induced cracking of the present dissimilar weld.