TWI

With regard to heavy vehicle component applications, friction stir welding (FSW) and refill friction stir spot welding were employed to fabricate 5083 aluminium multisheet packs for superplastic forming (SPF) into 3D structural or integrally stiffened panels. Several configurations of 3-sheet egg crate and truss structures were formed in a parallel-platen SPF press, and the relations between process conditions, weld microstructures and SPF formability were studied. Microstructural analysis (grain size in weld nugget), miniature and transverse-weld SPF tensile testing were used to evaluate appropriate FSW process parameters. The multisheet pack geometries fabricated were offset spot welds for egg crate or corrugated structures, offset linear welds for truss core structures, and concentric circles for a doughnut bulge test.

6th International Symposium, 10-13 Oct 2006, Session 7A: Applications, Paper 02