Al-to-Mg Friction Stir Welding: Effect of Material Position,Travel Speed,and Rotation Speed

Because joining dissimilar metals is often difficult by fusion joining, interest has been growing rapidly in using friction stir welding (FSW), which is considered a revolutionary solid-state welding process, as a new way to join dissimilar metals such as Al alloys to Mg alloys, Cu, and steels. Butt FSW of Al to Mg alloys has been studied frequently recently, but the basic issue of how the welding conditions affect the resultant joint strength still is not well understood. Using the widely used alloys 6061 Al and AZ31 Mg, the current study investigated the effect of the welding conditions, including the positions of Al and Mg with respect to the welding tool, the tool travel speed, and the tool rotation speed on the weld strength. Unlike previous studies, the current study (1) determined the heat input by both torque and temperature measurements during FSW, (2) used color metallography with Al, Mg, Al₃Mg₂, and Al₁₂Mg₁₇ all shown in different colors to reveal clearly the formation of intermetallic compounds and material flow in the stir zone, which are known to affect the joint strength significantly, and (3) determined the windows for travel and rotation speeds to optimize the joint strength for various material positions. The current study demonstrated clearly that the welding conditions affect the heat input, which in turn affects (1) the formation of intermetallics and even liquid and (2) material flow. Thus, the effect of welding conditions in Al-to-Mg butt FSW on the joint strength now can be explained.     

A Phenomenological Model for Tool Wear in Friction Stir Welding of Metal Matrix Composites

Friction stir welding (FSW) of metal matrix composites (MMCs) is advantageous because the solid-state nature of the process precludes formation of deleterious intermetallic phases which accompany melting. FSW of MMCs is complicated by rapid and severe wear of the welding tool, a consequence of contact between the tool and the much harder abrasive reinforcement which gives the workpiece material its enhanced strength. The current article demonstrates that Nunes’s rotating plug model of material flow in FSW, which has been successfully applied in many other contexts, can also help us understand wear in FSW of MMCs. An equation for predicting the amount of wear in this application is developed and compared with experimental data. This phenomenological model explains the relationship between wear and FSW process parameters documented in previous studies.     

Heterogeneity of crystallographic texture in friction stir welds of aluminum

Over the past decade, friction stir welding (FSW) has rapidly become an important industrial joining process, particularly in the aluminum industry. Included among the advantages of FSW are such important attributes as improved weld strength and the elimination of cracking and porosity. During the friction stir process, the metal undergoes a tortuous deformation path that is not yet fully understood. The crystallographic texture that evolves during FSW contains sharp spatial gradients that undoubtedly influence the integrity of the weld and surrounding region in subsequent performance. The locally measured textures are discussed in the context of the material flow required to produce such textures, ultimately resulting in an estimate of the flow field present during FSW.     

A Coupled Thermal/Material Flow Model of Friction Stir Welding Applied to Sc-Modified Aluminum Alloys

A coupled thermal/material flow model of friction stir welding was developed and applied to the joining of Sc-modified aluminum alloy (7042-T6) extrusions. The model reveals that surface material is pulled from the retreating side into the weld zone where it is interleaved with in situ material. Due to frictional contact with the shoulder, the surface material is hotter than the in situ material, so that the final weld microstructure is composed of bands of material with different temperature histories. For this alloy and the associated FSW heating rates, secondary phase dissolution/precipitation temperatures are in proximity to the welding temperatures. Therefore, depending on the surface and in situ material temperatures in relation to these transformation temperatures, disparate precipitate distributions can develop in the bands of material comprising the weld nugget. Based on the numerical simulation and on thermal analysis data from differential scanning calorimetry, a mechanism for the formation of onion rings within the weld zone is presented.     

Effect of Alclad Layer on Material Flow and Defect Formation in Friction-Stir-Welded 2024 Aluminum Alloy

The effect of the Alclad layer on material flow and defect formation during friction-stir welding (FSW) of 6.5-mm-thick 2024Al-T351 alloy plates was investigated. To characterize the material flow during FSW, different cross sections of the keyhole and “stop-action weld” were made for metallographic observations. It was found that the top Alclad assembled at the shoulder/workpiece interface, thereby weakening the material flow in the shoulder-driven zone and favoring the formation of void defect at high traveling speeds. The bottom Alclad layer extended into the weld at excess material flow state, which could be avoided at balanced material flow state. A conceptual model of material flow was proposed to describe the formation of the weld. It was indicated that a perfect FSW joint of Alclad 2024Al alloy without defect could be obtained at an optimum FSW condition.     

On the Sensitivity of a Tool–Workpiece Thermocouple to Chemical Composition and Microstructure

Meeting the increasing demands on part quality and profitability of manufacturing processes despite difficult-to-machine materials is only possible with a deep understanding of the process. Herein, knowledge about the process temperature is of critical importance since it affects the material properties, such as hardness or forming behavior, as well as the chemical and physical interactions between the tool, workpiece, and lubricant. A proven thermoelectric method of temperature measurement in machining, forming, and blanking is a tool–workpiece thermocouple. Herein, instantaneous measurement of the temperature development is allowed in this setup during the manufacturing process in situ at the contact area of the tool and workpiece. The accuracy of this method is dependent on the calibration of the thermocouple, for which the Seebeck coefficients of the tool and workpiece material have to be determined. Usually, material samples from different batches are used for this purpose, although the resulting measurement errors due to slight changes in material properties are hardly known. The effects of small changes in the chemical composition and the transformation of the crystal lattice due to hardening on the Seebeck coefficient are investigated for the first time to allow precise quantification of the measurement error resulting from the calibration process.     

Effects of Pin Shape on the Tool Plunge Stage in Friction Stir Welding

Studying each stage of the friction stir welding (FSW) in detail provides a more complete understanding of the process. In this study plunge stage in FSW has been studied experimentally. Effects of pin shape on the temperature distribution around the tool during the plunge stage have been examined by placing thermocouples around the tool in the workpiece and measuring the temperature during the process. Tools which had square, triangle and cylindrical pin shape were used to investigate the effects of pin shape on the temperature of the workpiece. Temperature distribution was asymmetric around the tools and temperature was a little higher behind the tools and at advancing side. The arrangement of the points according to the temperature was similar in all samples. It was found that most of the heat is generated by friction and the effect of friction on the workpiece temperature was more than plastic deformation. Shoulder had more considerable effects on the workpiece temperature compared to the pin.     

Friction Stir Welding in Wrought and Cast Aluminum Alloys: Heat Transfer Modeling and Thermal History Analysis

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a technique that can be used for materials joining and local microstructural refinement. Owing to the solid-state character of the process, FSW has significant advantages over traditional fusion welding, including reduced part distortion and overheating. In this study, a novel heat transfer model was developed to predict weld temperature distributions and quantify peak temperatures under various combinations of processing parameters for different wrought and cast Al alloys. Specifically, an analytical analysis was first developed to characterize and predict heat generation rate within the weld nugget, and then a two-dimensional (2D) numerical simulation was performed to evaluate the temperature distribution in the weld cross-section and top-view planes. A further three-dimensional (3D) simulation was developed based on the heat generation analysis. The model was validated by measuring actual temperatures near the weld nugget using thermocouples, and good agreement was obtained for all studied materials and conditions.     

Wear-Induced Changes in FSW Tool Pin Profile: Effect of Process Parameters

Friction stir welding (FSW) of high melting point metallic (HMPM) materials has limited application due to tool wear and relatively short tool life. Tool wear changes the profile of the tool pin and adversely affects weld properties. A quantitative understanding of tool wear and tool pin profile is crucial to develop the process for joining of HMPM materials. Here we present a quantitative wear study of H13 steel tool pin profile for FSW of CuCrZr alloy. The tool pin profile is analyzed at multiple traverse distances for welding with various tool rotational and traverse speeds. The results indicate that measured wear depth is small near the pin root and significantly increases towards the tip. Near the pin tip, wear depth increases with increase in tool rotational speed. However, change in wear depth near the pin root is minimal. Wear depth also increases with decrease in tool traverse speeds. Tool pin wear from the bottom results in pin length reduction, which is greater for higher tool rotational speeds, and longer traverse distances. The pin profile changes due to wear and result in root defect for long traverse distance. This quantitative understanding of tool wear would be helpful to estimate tool wear, optimize process parameters, and tool pin shape during FSW of HMPM materials.     

Determination of Optimal Process Parameters of Friction Stir Welding to Join Dissimilar Aluminum Alloys Using Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm

This paper presents the efforts of joining dissimilar aluminum alloys (AA6351-T6 and AA6061-T6) by friction stir welding (FSW) process. FSW experiments are conducted according to the three factors five level central composite rotatable design method, and the response surface methodology was used to establish the empirical relationship between FSW process parameters such as tool rotational speed (N), tool traverse speed (S) and axial force (F), and the response variables such as ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, and percentage of elongation. The developed empirical models’ adequacies are estimated using the analysis of variance technique. This paper also presents the application of the artificial bee colony algorithm to estimate the optimal process parameters to achieve good mechanical properties of FS weld joints. Results suggest that the estimations of the algorithm are in good agreement with the experimental findings.     

High-Speed Friction Stir Welding of AA7075-T6 Sheet: Microstructure,Mechanical Properties,Micro-texture,and Thermal History

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a cost-effective and high-quality joining process for aluminum alloys (especially heat-treatable alloys) that is historically operated at lower joining speeds (up to hundreds of millimeters per minute). In this study, we present a microstructural analysis of friction stir welded AA7075-T6 blanks with high welding speeds up to 3 M/min. Textures, microstructures, mechanical properties, and weld quality are analyzed using TEM, EBSD, metallographic imaging, and Vickers hardness. The higher welding speed results in narrower, stronger heat-affected zones (HAZs) and also higher hardness in the nugget zones. The material flow direction in the nugget zone is found to be leaning towards the welding direction as the welding speed increases. Results are coupled with welding parameters and thermal history to aid in the understanding of the complex material flow and texture gradients within the welds in an effort to optimize welding parameters for high-speed processing.     

Processing, Microstructure, and Residual Stress Effects on Strength and Fatigue Crack Growth Properties in Friction Stir Welding: A Review

The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of friction stir welding (FSW), as well as to introduce current research and applications involving this relatively new process. FSW is a new, efficient way of joining metal alloys that are considered unsuitable for welding via conventional fusion joining methods, and is capable of welding dissimilar metals with ease. This process also has the benefit of being solid-state, which mitigates the need for liquid filler metals that are common with conventional fusion welding techniques. This review will examine different facets of the FSW process, exploring the resulting static and dynamic properties and factors that influence these properties including weld zone boundaries, grain refinement, residual stress, and addition of reinforcing particles. Highlights of current research in this area and applications of this process in various industries will also be presented and discussed.     

Visualization of the material flow in AA2195 friction-stir welds using a marker insert technique

The material flow in solid-state, friction-stir, butt-welded AA2195-T8 was investigated using a marker insert technique (MIT). Markers made of AA5454-H32 were embedded in the path of the rotating friction stir welding (FSW) tool and their final position after welding was detected by metallographic means. Changes in material flow due to welding parameter and tool geometry variations were examined. The method provides a semiquantitative, three-dimensional view of the material transport in the welded zone. Because of the placement of markers at different positions at the weld centerline, the material transport in the longitudinal, transverse, and the vertical directions could be studied. Markers embedded in the path of the tool remain continuous after welding. The material transport, which is not symmetrical about the weld centerline, was such that the bulk of the material was transported to a position behind its original position. Superimposed on the primary motion of material in the horizontal plane of the weld is a circulation about the longitudinal axis of the weld. This circulation is found to increase with increasing weld energy.     

Effect of Thermal Aging on the Corrosion and Microstructure of Friction-Stir Welded Alloy 22

The effect of thermal aging on the corrosion and microstructure of friction-stir welded (FSW) alloy 22 was investigated. Successful welds were produced with a polycrystalline cubic BN pin tool at a rotational speed of 200 rev min^?1 and travel speed of 12.7 mm min^?1. Topologically closed packed (TCP) phases of ~50 to 300 nm size were identified in the weld nugget. The area fraction of the TCP phases in the weld nugget increased with aging temperature and time. General corrosion rates measured from the weight loss experiments for welds were relatively higher than for parent material. The corrosion rates increased with the increased aging temperature and time. Intergranular corrosion (IGC) resistance is greater in friction-stir welds compared with the parent material at all aging temperatures and times. The IGC depth increased with the aging temperature and time in the parent material. The IGC depth for the FSW weld nugget was minimal and did not change with thermal aging.     

Structure and mechanical properties of 1570C alloy welds produced by friction stir welding

The effect of the conditions of friction stir welding (FSW) of 1570C aluminum alloy sheets on the structure and mechanical properties of the welded joints is studied. A recrystallized fine-grained structure with a grain size changing with the rate of welding tool rotation forms in a weld during FSW. As compared to the base metal, the yield strength of the weld metal decreases by 9–22% depending on the rate of welding tool rotation, and the ultimate tensile strength is almost independent of the FSW conditions and accounts for ～90% of the ultimate tensile strength of the base metal. The plasticity of the weld metal is >13% for all rates of welding tool rotation. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the weld zone are discussed.     

搅拌摩擦焊用钨铼合金的研究进展

搅拌摩擦焊接技术是一种环保、低成本的固相连接技术,已经在航空航天、轨道交通和新能源汽车等领域得到广泛应用。对于高熔点合金材料如钛合金和不锈钢的搅拌摩擦焊接而言,搅拌头材料成了主要制约因素。钨铼（W-Re）合金凭借其高熔点、高硬度和强抗腐蚀性等优点,已成为研究和应用最热的搅拌摩擦焊接高熔点合金的搅拌头材料。本文综述了近年来在搅拌摩擦焊工艺中以W-Re合金作为搅拌头材料的制备方法、复合强化技术和应用场景的研究进展。此外,还展望了拓宽W-Re合金在搅拌摩擦焊领域应用的前景,包括降低W-Re合金的生产成本和提高其服役寿命等方面,旨在推动W-Re合金搅拌头材料在搅拌摩擦焊领域的进一步应用和发展。     

Microstructural Evolution and Fracture Behavior of Friction-Stir-Welded Al-Cu Laminated Composites

In this study, we attempt to characterize the microstructural evolution during friction stir butt welding of Al-Cu-laminated composites and its effect on the fracture behavior of the joint. Emphasis is on the material flow and particle distribution in the stir zone. For this purpose, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, energy-dispersive spectroscopy EDS and XRD analyses, hardness measurements, and tensile tests are carried out on the joints. It is shown that intermetallic compounds exist in lamellas of banding structure formed in the advancing side of the welds. In samples welded from the Cu side, the banding structure in the advancing side and the hook formation in the retreating side determine the fracture behavior of the joint. In samples welded from the Al side, a defect is formed in the advancing side of the weld, which is attributed to insufficient material flow. It is concluded that the contact surface of the laminate (Al or Cu) with the shoulder of the FSW tool influences the material flow and microstructure of welds.     

Friction Stir Welding in Wrought and Cast Aluminum Alloys: Weld Quality Evaluation and Effects of Processing Parameters on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid-state process widely used for joining similar and dissimilar materials for critical applications in the transportation sector. Understanding the effects of the process on microstructure and mechanical properties is critical in design for structural integrity. In this study, four aluminum alloy systems (wrought 6061-T651 and cast A356, 319, and A390) were processed in both as-fabricated and pre-weld heat-treated (T6) conditions using various processing parameters. The effects of processing and heat treatment on the resulting microstructures, macro-/micro-hardness, and tensile properties were systematically investigated and mechanistically correlated to changes in grain size, characteristic phases, and strengthening precipitates. Tensile tests were performed at room temperature both along and across the welding zones. A new method able to evaluate weld quality (using a weld quality index) was developed based on the stress concentration calculated under tensile loading. Optimum processing parameter domains that provide both defect-free welds and good mechanical properties were determined for each alloy and associated with the thermal history of the process. These results were further related to characteristic microstructural features, which can be used for component design and materials/process optimization.     

Friction Stir Lap Welding of Magnesium Alloy to Steel: A Preliminary Investigation

An initial study was made to evaluate the feasibility of joining magnesium alloy AZ31 sheet to galvanized steel sheet in a lap configuration using friction stir welding (FSW). Two different automotive sheet steels were used for comparative evaluation of the dissimilar joining potential: a 0.8 mm thick, electrogalvanized (EG) mild steel, and a 1.5 mm thick hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steel. These steels were joined to 2.33 mm thick AZ31B magnesium sheet. A single FSW tool design was used for both dissimilar welds, and the process parameters were kept the same. The average peak load for the AZ31-1.5 mm steel weld joint in lap shear mode was found to be 6.3 ± 1.0 kN. For the AZ31-0.8 mm steel weld, joint strength was 5.1 ± 1.5 kN. Microstructural investigation indicates melting of the Zn coating present on the steel sheets, and subsequent alloying with the Mg sheet resulted in the formation of a solidified Zn-Mg alloy layer.