TWI Digital Library

The numerical simulation of the friction stir welding process using two different commercial finite element codes is described. FORGE3, which uses an updated Lagrangian approach, was used to simulate the plunge of the pin and the THERCAST package, w…

Evaluation of phased array ultrasonic inspection for the detection of typical friction stir weld defects is reported. Characteristics of friction stir welds with respect to inspectability are described. Phased array operation is outlined. A variety …

Friction stir welded joints in aluminium alloy 6061-T6 sheet were produced using a robot arm, to assess the ability of the arm to withstand the mechanical stresses associated with friction stir welding. The arm was fitted with an electrically powere…

A friction stir welding tool with a variable length probe (suitable for variable thickness joints, repairs and circumferential welding) was developed and evaluated for the welding of aluminium alloy 2195. Tapered sheet, of both increasing and decrea…

Friction stir welding of aluminium alloys suitable for railway and shipbuilding applications was investigated. Sheet of 4 mm thickness of alloys 6N01-T5 (Al, 0.7%Mg, 0.6%Si, 0.1%Cu) and 5083-H112 (Al, 4.7%Mg) were friction stir welded, and the joint…

An experimental and numerical analysis of the wear of a polycrystalline boron nitride (PCBN) friction stir welding (FSW) tool is overviewed as presentation slides. Topics highlighted include: FSW plunge trials of EH46 shipbuilding steel at a plunge …

The integration of friction stir welding (FSW) into the manufacturing sequence of spinformed domes of aluminium alloys is presented in terms of its optimisation and the specific iterations required with the prior and follow-up procedures of the manu…

Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) was employed to fabricate dissimilar lap joints between a 6000 series aluminium alloy (Al, 1%Si, 0.5%Mg) in the T4 condition and SPCC mild steel (0.05%C, 0.01%Si, 0.14%Mn) without formation of intermetallic compound…

An investigation is presented into the use of a friction stir welding/forging process to fabricate tee and I-beam shapes with integral radial shaped fillets, the optimisation of process parameters for different alloys and shapes, and the results of …

With regard to the application of friction stir welding (FSW) to the production of launcher tanks holding cryogenic liquids, an investigation was undertaken to establish a robust and industrialised FSW process for AA 2219 alloys in T87 and T851 cond…

Friction stir welding (FSW) experiments were undertaken on sheet specimens (thickness 5 mm) of 5454-H111 aluminium alloys and the relationships between process forces, spindle power and tool geometry were investigated. Twelve FSW tools with specifie…

A friction stir welding (FSW) methodology incorporating laser tracking and constant force control technologies was developed in order to fabricate large, thin-walled aircraft floor structures. The material chosen for study comprised sheet specimens …

The bobbin tool or self-reacting tool variant of the friction stir welding process was investigated on butt joints of various 2000 series aluminium alloys for aircraft fuselage applications; welding feasibility tests were conducted in pin length con…

With regard to the development of dissimilar aluminium-steel joint fabrication for automotive applications such as body-in-white, an investigation incorporating experiment and numerical simulation was undertaken to examine the dissimilar friction st…

In relation to the challenges involved in temperature data acquisition and transmission associated with rotation of the friction stir welding (FSW) tool, an investigation is presented into a wireless temperature monitoring system based on thermocoup…

In relation to the requirement for automatic inspection of weld quality during the friction stir welding (FSW) process, the "MonStir" process monitoring system was developed to analyse measured process forces and their frequency spectra, and an inve…

Friction stir welding (FSW) tools, equipment and auxiliary devices were developed for application to heavy section aluminium alloy plate (thickness 40-70 mm), and the microstructure and mechanical properties of welded joints fabricated by the proced…

Friction stir welding was employed to fabricate butt joints in Ti-6%Al-4%V sheets (thickness 2 mm) and the effect of process parameters on joint microstructure and plastic deformation behaviour was investigated. Welding experiments were conducted at…

An experimental investigation was undertaken into the preparation and mechanical properties of two candidate substitutes to MP 159 Ni-Co alloy as tool materials for friction stir welding of high strength aluminium alloys. The alloys studied were "Ae…

Butt joints were fabricated in AA 6061-T6 (Al, 0.8%Mg, 0.6%Si) and AA 6082-T6 (Al, 0.62%Mg, 0.99%Si, 0.49%Mn) plates (thickness 6 mm) by friction stir welding, and the tensile and fatigue properties of the weldments were investigated. The microstruc…