TWI Digital Library

The StiRoLight Research project (carried out in conjunction with SAAB, ESAB and Volvo) to investigate the use of an industrial robot for friction stir welding of aluminium alloys in the automobile industry, is outlined and studies of path deviations…

An experimental investigation was conducted into the effects of friction stir processing (FSP) and post-FSP ageing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Alloy 718 castings. Bead-on-plate welds were fabricated on cast Alloy 718 sheets (t…

A coupled model, comprising a computational fluid dynamic process model, a precipitate evolution model based on classical phase transformation theory and a classical strengthening model, was formulated to investigate the effect of process parameters…

Friction stir welding was employed to fabricate joints in aluminium and magnesium alloys, and the weld zone microstructure and plastic deformation behaviour were investigated. The materials tested were AA 5454-H22 (Al, 2.85%Mg) wrought alloy sheets …

An investigation was undertaken to evaluate friction stir processing (FSP) as a repair technique for AA 7075-T6 aluminium alloys and to examine the mechanical and fatigue performance of the repaired joints for applications such as repair of MIG and …

An experimental investigation was conducted to examine weldability, material thickness, welding speed and joint geometry aspects of robotic friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminium alloy aircraft structures. An ABB IRB7600-500 serial design robot wa…

Weld initiation experiments were undertaken on various Al-Mg(-Si) alloy extrusions to develop fixed-gap bobbin tool designs and process procedures to facilitate friction stir welding (FSW) of sheet specimens as thin as 3 mm. The alloy grades studied…

A multi-physics model for thermal simulation of bobbin-tool friction stir welding was developed assuming a partially sticking condition at the tool-matrix interface, and simulation results were compared with experimental data for welding of AA7449 a…

Friction stir processing (FSP) experiments were undertaken on annealed AISI 420 stainless steel plates (thickness 6 mm) in order to compare three methods for assessing tool wear. The investigations incorporated two tool compositions (WC-Co or polycr…

In relation to the potential of force control friction stir welding (FSW) to produce higher quality weldments, an investigation is presented into the integration of closed-loop force control onto milling machines using popular CNC control systems, f…

An investigation was undertaken to examine the effect of adding aluminium to magnesium on the strength of dissimilar joints between steel and magnesium fabricated by friction stir welding. The materials studied were pure 3N magnesium, AZ31 (Mg, 2.9%…

With regard to the requirement to produce friction stir welded (FSW) lap joints with strength and fatigue properties suitable for commercial regional aircraft, work undertaken by MTS Systems and Bombardier Aerospace to develop pin tools and corrosio…

Friction stir welding (FSW) was employed to weld Mo and Ti sheets (thickness 1.5 and 2 mm, respectively), the effects of process conditions on weldability as well as mechanical properties and microstructure of joints was investigated, and the import…

Friction stir welding (FSW) experiments were performed to join two dissimilar aluminium alloys, AA-7075 (Al, 5.58%Zn, 2.48%Mg, 1.38%Cu) and AA-2024 (Al, 4.5%Cu, 1.36%Mg), in a butt configuration, and the microstructural and hardness characteristics …

A report is presented into recent advances made in friction stir welding (FSW) of 7075 aluminium alloy and 12%Cr alloy steel plates (thickness 12 mm) using refractory metal tools in conjunction with a variety of surface modifications, including stud…

The degradation mechanisms of friction stir welding (FSW) tools made of three tungsten alloys were investigated. Tools were made from 99%W-1%La2O3, 75%W-25%Re and 70%W-20%Re-10%HfC. These were used to make friction stir welds in high strength steel …

The viscoplastic behaviour of two aluminium alloys (non heat-treatable AA5083-H111 and heat-treatable AA6082-T6) was analysed by performing tensile tests at different temperatures and strain rates and the friction stir weldability of the materials i…

The hybrid component of the combination magnesium’s lightness and aluminum’s formability should be useful for energy saving. The welding of dissimilar metallic materials is difficult for their difference in melting temperatures and the formation of …

Friction stir processing (FSP) was employed to fabricate oxide dispersion strengthened copper-based composite plates with a graded microstructure and evolving mechanical, thermal, electrical and wear properties along their thickness. Specimens compr…

The effect of tool pin displacement on defect formation in friction stir welded (FSW) 5052 Al alloy and C11000 copper in butt joint configurations was investigated, with the tool pin plunged first in copper, secondly at the weld joint centre line an…