TWI Digital Library

Variations in microstructure in friction stir welds in AA 7449 (Al, 2.2%Mg, 8.2%Zn, 1.7%Cu, 0.12%Si, 0.15%Fe, 0.2%Mn, 0.05%Cr, 0.25 T plus Zr) in the initially overaged (T7) condition were studied. Isothermal heat treatments were conducted at 350 an…

This paper describes the joining criterion for lap joining of dissimilar metal materials of aluminum and stainless steel by friction stir. A criterion for evaluating the joined state or non-joined state is proposed, which is led by the concept based…

Experimental measurements and thermal modelling were used to determine the transient heat loss into friction stir welding tools and so calculate the welding efficiency. Energy inputs were determined from force and torque measurements made whilst per…

Experimental methods were developed to track material flow and mixing during the friction stir welding (FSW) process. Experiments were conducted with butt joints of 6.35 mm (0.25 in) thickness 7050-T7451 aluminium alloy plates. The FSW tool was H13 …

A fully coupled thermomechanical three dimensional finite element (FE) model was developed to analyse the thermomechanical conditions, including material flow and heat generation, at the tool/matrix interface in friction stir welding. The model was …

Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) was employed to fabricate lap joints in hot extruded AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets (thickness 2 mm), and the effect of introducing nanostructured SiC particles (mean size 40 nm) on the microstructure and mechanical pr…

Quantification approaches applied to phase space data generated from friction stir welding aluminium alloys under varying process conditions are reported. A multi-step, micro-wormhole, non-destructive evaluation phase-spaced, (PS) algorithm that com…

Numerical simulations and experimental tests were undertaken to visualise material flow and to study the effect of the flow field on the mixing mechanism and particle break-up in friction stir welding of metal matrix composites. A 3D thermo-fluid mo…

Friction stir welding (FSW) is discussed in manufacture of a sports car body made largely of aluminium alloy sheet with some components of cast aluminium or extruded aluminium, and the only steel used is the frame for the windscreen. Advantages are …

Nondestructive testing of friction stir welds is discussed. The ultrasonic testing of friction stir welded joints, advantages of phased array testing and test applications are presented briefly. The eddy current array testing technique is illustrate…

Fatigue tests were performed using lap-shear specimens of friction stir spot welded Al, 0.8%Mg, 1%Si alloys. Sheet specimens (thickness 2 mm) were subjected to PWHT of solution treatment and/or ageing. Weld zone microstructure was observed by SEM. F…

The joining of hot rolled aerospace quality AZ31B-H24 magnesium alloy (Mg, 2.5-3.5%Al, 0.7-1.3%Zn, 0.2-1.0%Mn) sheets (thickness 4.95 mm) was investigated using an MTS ISTIR friction stir welding (FSW) machine, the quality of the butt joints produce…

A brief review is presented of the state of development of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) tool materials for friction stir welding (FSW) of high-temperature materials (high alloy steels and Ni based alloys) with respect to weld penetrati…

Multirun friction stir processing (FSP) (12 mm depth over large surface area) was performed on NiAl bronze (Cu, 9.1%Al, 4.4%Ni, 3.9%Fe) thick plates (thickness 40 mm) using a rectangular spiral-out raster path, and longitudinal residual stresses wer…

An overview is presented of the twenty year history and technological developments relating to the application of friction stir welding (FSW) to aluminium alloy railway car body shells. Issues discussed include the history of railway car body shell …

The microstructure and corrosion properties of welded joints in Inconel 22 (Alloy 22 or NO6022) made by friction stir welding (FSW) were investigated. Bead-on-plate welds were produced in Alloy 22 (59.6%Ni, 13.43%Mo, 0.22%Cr, 3.29%W, 3.17%Fe, 0.84%C…

An investigation is presented into a methodology for simulating the entire friction stir welding (FSW) process using a hybrid mesh free method on a graphics processing unit (GPU) and its implementation for different FSW applications such as butt joi…

Fatigue crack growth in friction stir welded (FSW) aluminium alloys 2024-T3 and 6013-T6 were predicted using two commercial software programs, ESACRACK and AFGROW in order to facilitate lifetime predictions of FSW aircraft structures. The following …

The feasibility of using friction stir welding (FSW) in the construction of an aircraft central wing box from butt-welded extrusions was evaluated. An FSW procedure for welding 7055 T77511 and 7349 T6511 10 mm thickness extrusions was developed by T…

The application of friction stir welding (FSW) to the fabrication of copper backing plates of thickness 6 mm was investigated. The welding conditions, FSW machine development, and mechanical and metallurgical properties of friction stir welded joint…