Predictions of the optimized friction stir welding process parameters for joining AA7075-T6 aluminum alloy using preheating system

The scope of this investigation is to evaluate the effect of welding parameters on the mechanical properties and microstructural features of 3-mm-thick AA7075-T6 aluminum alloy subjected to gas heating system as a preheating source during friction stir welding. Toward this end, a gas heating system was designed to heat up the weld seam just ahead of rotating tool to soften the material before being stirred. Three welding parameters, five levels, and a central composite design (CCD) have been used to minimize the number of experimental conditions. The joining parameters such as tool rotational speed, welding speed, and shoulder diameter have a significant influence on determining the mechanical properties of the welded joints. It was found that using preheating system mostly can result in higher total heat input into the weld joint and effectively reduces the formation of defects when unsuitable process parameters were used. Also, an attempt has been made to establish the mathematical model to predict the tensile strength and microhardness of the joints. The optimal welding conditions to maximize the final responses were investigated and reported. The results show that the joint fabricated at a rotational speed of 1,050 rpm, welding speed of 100 mm/min, and shoulder diameter of 14 mm exhibited higher mechanical properties compared to other joints.     

Optimizations of friction stir welding of aluminum alloy by using genetically optimized neural network

Genetically optimized neural network systems (GONNS) was developed to simulate the intelligent decision-making capability of human beings. After they are trained with experimental data or observations, GONNS use one or more artificial neural networks (ANN) to represent complex systems. The optimization is performed by one or more genetic algorithms (GA). In this study, the GONNS was used to estimate the optimal operating condition of the friction stir welding (FSW) process. Five separate ANNs represented the relationship between two identical input parameters and each one of the considered characteristics of the welding zone. GA searched for the optimized parameters to make one of the parameters maximum or minimum, while the other four are kept within the desired range. The GONNS was found as an excellent optimization tool for FSW.     

Effect of process parameters on the macrostructure and defect formation in friction stir lap welding of AA5456 aluminum alloy

Friction stir welding could be considered as a suitable technique for joining of aluminum alloys due to the emerging of different problems in fusion welding of these alloys, especially in lap joint designs. For this purpose, it is necessary to optimize the process parameters while in this study, the combined effects of tool rotation and welding travel speed on the macrostructure and defect formation of friction stir lap welding of AA5456 was investigated. The rotating tool was plunged from the 5 mm-thick AA5456-H321 (top sheet) surface into the 2.5 mm-thick AA5456-O (bottom sheet) and lap joints were fabricated by rotational speeds of 300, 600, 800 and 1000 rpm and welding speeds of 15, 30, 60 and 100 mm min⁻¹. The effect of tool rotation and welding speed on the macrostructure, material flow and defect formation, i.e. hooking, kissing-bond and cavity, were studied by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscope. The results declared that hooking height decreased as the welding speed increased while kissing-bond was formed at higher welding speeds. Moreover, hooking region was extended as the tool rotational speed increased. However, at a high rotational speed, cavity was even created.     

Effect of process parameters on friction stir welding of aluminum alloy 2219-T87

In this work, successful friction stir welding of aluminum alloy 2219 using an adapted milling machine is reported. The downward or forging force was found to be dependent upon shoulder diameter and rotational speed whereas longitudinal or welding force on welding speed and pin diameter. Tensile strength of welds was significantly affected by welding speed and shoulder diameter whereas welding speed strongly affected percentage elongation. Metallographic studies revealed fine equiaxed grains in weld nugget and microstructural changes in thermo-mechanically affected zone were found to be the result of combined and interactive influences of frictional heat and deformation. A maximum joining efficiency of 75% was obtained for welds with reasonably good percentage elongation. TEM studies indicated coarsening and/or dissolving of precipitates in nugget. For the gas metal arc weld, SEM investigations revealed segregation of copper at grain boundaries in partially melted zone.     

Optimization of friction stir welding process of AA7075 aluminum alloy to achieve desirable mechanical properties using ANFIS models and simulated annealing algorithm

Current work deals with experimental investigation, modeling, and optimization of friction stir welding process (FSW) to reach desirable mechanical properties of aluminum 7075 plates. Main factors of process were tool pin profile, tool rotary speed, welding speed, and welding axial force. Also, main responses were tensile strength, yield strength, and hardness of welded zone. Four factors and five levels of central composite design have been utilized to minimize the number of experimental observations. Then, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS) have been used to generate mapping relationship between process factors and main response using experimental observations. Afterward, the developed models were applied as objective function to select optimal parameters, in which the process reaches to its desirable mechanical properties by using the simulated annealing algorithm. Results indicated that the tool with square pin profile, rotary speed of 1,400 RPM, welding speed of 1.75 mm/s, and axial force of 7.5 KN resulted in desirable mechanical properties in both cases of single response and multi-response optimization. Also, these solutions have been verified by confirmation tests and FSW process physical behavior. These verifications indicated that both ANFIS model and simulated annealing algorithm are appropriate tools for modeling and optimization of process.     

Ultrasonic thermometry for friction stir spot welding

This investigation presents the feasibility of ultrasonic temperature measurement of friction stir spot welding (FSSW). FSSW is an automated solid state joining process. Thermal profiles of the weld zone are crucial for implementing informed process changes to improve weld quality. Ultrasonics present a novel and non-invasive method of monitoring changes in temperature.Ultrasonic time of flight (TOF) measurement method is used to calculate the temperature of Al 6061 as it is heated. Comparisons of the ultrasonic temperature calculations with thermocouple readings confirm the accuracy of the ultrasonic system. The ultrasonic signal is then recorded during spot welding and processed. The results show that ultrasonic technology is a feasible method of monitoring the heating and cooling profiles of the weld zone during welding. The paper also discusses challenges presented by the system as well as recommendations for its future implementation in the friction stir welding manufacturing industry.     

Analyzing dissimilar friction stir welding of AA5754/AA7075

AA5754/AA7075 was butt-welded by friction stir welding, and the joint of each weld case was identified by ultimate tensile strength, percentage of elongation, and hardness. Moreover, the significance of each parameter was investigated, and a mathematical relation was constructed by regression analysis. A defect-free joint was achieved in the case of a weld produced with 1000 rpm of tool rotational speed, 80 mm/min of welding speed, and an 22-mm tool shoulder diameter. Most of the failures are located at the bottom of the pin and side of AA7075. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) decreases with increasing welding speed (WS) or increasing tool rotational speed (TRS). Hardness distribution in the weld zones varied dependent on the nugget zone formation affected by TRS and WS. The present study also investigated the significance and contribution of each parameter on the UTS by analysis of variance (ANOVA). From the results of ANOVA, the conclusion reached is that the all the parameters have a great influence on UTS. The contributions are 41.41 % for WS, 17.58 % for diameter, and 13.28 % for TRS. Moreover, a full quadratic model was constructed between the parameters and the UTS value. The results show that the variation from the predicted values was between 0.41 % and 10.36 %. The strength of the model was analyzed by R-Sq. The achieved R-Sq is 0.892, which means that there is a strong relation between predicted and actual values.     

Effect of pinless tool shoulder diameter on dieless friction stir extrusion joining of AA 5052-H32 and AA 6061-T6 aluminum alloy sheets

Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology - A new spot joining process called dieless friction stir extrusion is proposed, in which simultaneous mechanical interlocking (collar formation) and...     

Investigations of friction stir welding process using finite element method

The aim of this study is to investigate the process of friction stir welding (FSW) by using finite element method (FEM). Currently, the materials that are difficult to be joined with conventional fusion methods can now be easily joined with the method of friction stir welding. In this paper, the welding capability of many different materials with this method has been investigated by using analytical and numeric methods. In this study, a finite element (FE) model was developed for welding process with friction stir welding of AZ31 magnesium alloy. This model was performed by the software of DEFORM 3D finite element in 960, 1,964, and 2,880 rpm rotational speeds and in 10 and 20 mm?min^?1 transverse speeds. The temperature values taken from experiments and the temperature values with FEM are compared, and according to these results, it can be stated that the FE model gives reasonable results with experimental results based on temperatures values. Hence, the FE model can be used to predict other parameters of FSW process in future studies.     

Mechanical properties of friction stir welding and metal inert gas welding of Al-Zn aluminum alloy joints

In this work, an Al-Zn aluminum alloy was welded using friction stir welding (FSW) and metal inert gas (MIG) welding methods. The comparison between microstructure and mechanical properties of the two different joints was mainly discussed. Results showed that defect-free joints can be obtained using both the two welding methods. Due to much less heat input, grains of the stir zone (SZ) of the FSW joint are finer than those of the MIG joint, resulting into higher hardness. Tensile strength of the MIG and FSW joints respectively reaches 68.6 and 73.2% of the BM. The FSW joints own much better fatigue properties than the MIG joints and reach its infinite life at using 90 MPa. The FSW joint owns two cracks during the fatigue test.     

Mechanical properties of graphite/aluminum metal matrix composite joints by friction stir spot welding

Graphite/aluminum metal matrix composite (MMC) joints are successfully fabricated by friction stir spot welding (FSSW). During lap-joining processes of aluminum alloy sheets by FSSW, graphite/water colloid is applied between the tool shoulder and the upper plate. The Raman spectrum of the FSSW joint confirms that graphite/aluminum MMC is successfully induced in the stir zone. Quasi-static shear tests and micro hardness measurements of the FSSW joint also show that the strength and toughness of the joint are significantly improved by inducing graphite/aluminum MMC in the stir zone. The results of the present study suggest that the mechanical properties of structural components joined by spot welds can be easily enhanced by adopting MMC joints by FSSW, instead of changing the material or increasing the number of joints.