TWI Digital Library

A review is presented of the state-of-the-art of industrial friction stir welding (FSW) mass production, current trends, challenges and market demands as well as the potential of high speed complex contour welding on multi-axis FSW machinery with re…

An investigation incorporating experimental measurements and thermomechanical simulations was undertaken to examine the effects of underwater friction stir welding (FSW) on an AISI 321 stainless steel sheet (thickness 3 mm) and to analyse the mechan…

A numerical model of the friction stir welding (FSW) process was developed by employing finite element analysis of a non-Newtonian fluid to evaluate plastic deformation and heat generation of the weld material, and was applied to the design of tool …

Friction stir welding (FSW) experiments were performed on aluminium single crystals; the evolution of the grain structure and crystallographic texture from the parent material to the highly deformed region adjacent to the tool was studied, and the i…

Experimental investigations were undertaken to determine the way in which process parameters in friction stir welding (FSW) affect the distribution and quantity of embedded oxide particles in the weld zone and to elucidate the influence of such part…

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 stiffen…

An arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) formulation was developed to simulate the plunge, dwell and welding stages of the friction stir welding process using "FORGE3" finite element software, and the friction coefficients from a viscoplastic law were…

The origin of the lines of micrometre sized oxide particles observed in aluminium alloy friction stir welds was investigated. Butt and bead on plate welds were prepared using 6 mm plate of aluminium (99.999%Al and 99.5%Al) and aluminium alloy 6056 (…

The effects of stir rod angle (0-3 degrees), rotation speed (500-2500 rpm) and travel speed (1-8 mm/s) on metal flow in friction stir welds in pure aluminium (A-1100) and an Al-0.5%Mg alloy (A-5005) were studied. The microstructure, hardness and ten…

The development of robots, tools and control systems for three-dimensional friction stir welding of aluminium alloy plate up to 10 mm thickness is described. Robots have been developed with a triangulated arm construction, which provides the necessa…

Shipbuilding applications of friction stir welding in the production of prefabricated aluminium alloy sections are described. Panels of up to 13 x 16 m, thickness 3-7 mm, may be produced with close tolerances and good surface finish, reducing cost a…

Dissimilar joints between AA 6063 aluminium alloy and S45C steel were fabricated by friction stir welding and the growth behaviour of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the weld interface during PWHT was investigated. Welding was performed at a rotat…

Friction stir welding (FSW) was applied to the 10 mm thick plate for the Fe-Mn-Si (FMS) alloy using a polycrystalline cubic born nitride (pcBN) tool. The sound FSW joint was obtained without macro-defects although small pores were slightly distribut…

A 3D fully coupled computational fluid dynamics model was established to investigate the heat generation and material flow during friction stir welding, and the measured tool torque and axial force were used to characterise the contact conditions (f…

Dissimilar lap joints between ASTM A36 low carbon steel and Inconel 625 (Ni, 21.4%Cr, 9.65%Mo, 3.2%Nb, 2.6%Fe) were fabricated by friction stir welding (FSW) and the effects of process parameters on microstructure and hardness were investigated. FSW…

A qualitative and discrete quantitative approach was adopted to develop a generalised electronic NDE (e-NDE) algorithm for identifying erratic friction stir welding (FSW) indications contained in the tool force feedback signals as low and high frequ…

With regard to the dependence of welded joint properties on tool probe shape during friction stir welding (FSW) of dissimilar butt joints between aluminium and steel, an investigation was undertaken into the interface formation mechanism by conducti…

A simplified friction stir welding (FSW) tool equipped with an adjustable probe was developed, FSW trial results with prototype tools were obtained and were analysed in terms of weldability. The simplified tools were realised by devising shoulders f…

An investigation is presented into the fatigue properties of welded joints in various structural aluminium alloys prepared by friction stir welding (FSW) and the results are compared with those measured on MIG welded joints. The experimental specime…

The tolerance of operational accuracy and optimum tool control in 3D friction stir welding (FSW) was investigated in relation to joint mechanical properties. A five-axis controlled FSW machine was developed for 3D welding. The material studied was a…