TWI Digital Library

Friction stir welding was evaluated as a cheaper alternative to the use of fasteners for the joining of lap joints of the aluminium alloy 7075-T351 motor thrust frame of the Ariane 5 rocket. In initial trials to optimise the tool design for lap join…

The use of phased array ultrasonics for the detection of small defects in welds is described, and illustrated using a series of examples of friction stir welded aluminium alloy plate. Phased arrays use an array of ultrasonic elements pulsed with dif…

The friction stir welding (FSW) manufacturing technology of large aluminium extrusions for rail, automotive and aerospace applications was optimised. Tensile strength, impact value, hardness and microstructure were investigated in friction stir weld…

Advances in low cost, rapidly re-configurable fixturing and support tooling for the production of complex curvature parts by friction stir welding are described. An Intelligent Friction Stir Welding (IFSW) path planning algorithm developed by the So…

The development of cryogenic tank domes for gas tanks for carrier rockets using friction stir welding (FSW) and high strength aluminium alloys of the 2xxx series is outlined. The verification of an existing NC-controlled milling machining centre (Ca…

The effects of laser surfacing on the microstructure and corrosion properties of friction stir welds in 6.34 mm (0.25 in) thickness plates of aluminium alloys 2024-T351 and 7010-T7651 were studied. Specimens were laser surfaced using an excimer lase…

Developments in non-destructive techniques for detecting small defects in friction stir welds in thin aluminium plates in aerospace applications are considered. The principles of ultrasonic phased-array technology and eddy current array technology a…

Friction stir welded joints, produced in an extruded profile of aluminium alloy 6082-T6 using run on and run off plates, were evaluated by measurement of mechanical properties. Plate of 6 mm thickness was welded using a range of process parameters, …

Flow in friction stir welds in Al-Cu-Li aluminium alloy 2195-T8 plate (8.1 mm thickness) was observed by placing markers in the faying surface prior to welding. Markers of aluminium alloy 5454-H32 (1.8 x 2.7 mm) were placed in slots milled in the fa…

A slide presentation outlining the development of a low cost transportable friction stir welding machine for use in stiffened panel production in shipyards. The development of the use of fixed geometry bobbin tools and of specifically designed equip…

Based on a dynamical control-low stress no distortion (DC-LSND) methodology, an array jet impingement heat sink apparatus was designed to facilitate reductions of residual stress and distortion in friction stir welding (FSW), and test results were o…

In relation to the European funded research project HILDA (high integrity low distortion assembly) to encourage the industrial take up of friction stir welding (FSW) for structural steels, an investigation was undertaken into the microstructure and …

A technique was developed to fill the exit hole during the retraction phase of a friction stir welding (FSW) sequence which, by using existing equipment functionality and designing a hollow FSW tool, syringe-type delivery system and pre-loaded alumi…

Friction stir welding (FSW) was employed to undertake lap joining of very thin sheets (thickness 1 mm) of aluminium alloys and a structural steel using different tool geometries and a wide range of process parameters, and the microstructure and mech…

A fully integrated approach to facilitate optimisation of the friction stir welding (FSW) process was developed, incorporating a model for the FSW process, coupling material flow and thermal analysis, a model for precipitation evolution, a microstru…

A scanning nonlinear acoustic NDT method was employed to detect the presence of kissing bonds in a friction stir welded 2000 series aluminium alloy and experimental results were validated using coupons taken from the scan area and inspected by optic…

AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets (thickness 4 mm) were joined by friction stir welding under process conditions with and without a heat sink, and the residual stress distribution in the joints was investigated by a hole drilling method according to the A…

With regard to the application of friction stir welding (FSW) of ultra thin aluminium sheets (thickness less than 1 mm) to electronic packaging and micromechanical component joining, an investigation is presented into fixturing, process parameter an…

Friction stir processing (FSP) experiments were undertaken on three Ni-based alloys (Alloy 625 (Ni, 21.6%Cr, 8.6%Mo, 3.7%Fe), Alloy 718 (Ni, 23.7%Fe, 18.1%Cr, 3.1%Mo, 1%Ti) and Hastelloy X (Ni, 21.3%Cr, 19.2%Fe, 8.3%Mo)) using a W-Re tool, process p…

AA 6061-T651 aluminium alloy (Al, 0.81%Mg, 0.53%Si) plates (thickness 9.5 mm) were joined by friction stir welding (FSW) and the influence of FSW tool eccentricity on material flow and welded joint mechanical properties was investigated. Welding was…