TWI

A methodology to facilitate cost-effective friction stir welding (FSW) of large and complex 3D structures is presented based on a parallel kinematic machine concept called Pentapod, and welding trial results for spherical structures and dissimilar m…

A high force, multi-axis friction stir welding (FSW) machine was employed to perform one-run welding experiments on thick plates (thickness 75 mm) of AA 6082-T6 alloys, and the hardness, microstructure and crystallographic texture of the joints were…

An investigation was undertaken to examine the interactions, required process adjustments and resultant joint properties associated with conventional and robotic stationary shoulder friction stir welding (SSFSW) for scaled tool geometries. In order …

A rotating data logger system was developed to investigate the influence of process parameters on tool tip temperature during friction stir spot welding (FSSW) of AA 6061-T6 and 5083-O aluminium alloy lap joints. The data logger was designed to rota…

AA 6063-T5 aluminium alloy L-shape stringers (thickness 2 mm) were friction stir welded in an overlap configuration positioned over AA 2024-T3 sheets (thickness 3 mm) using various process conditions and three different tool designs with respect to …

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…

Physical simulations were undertaken on cylindrical specimens of 304L stainless steel using a "Gleeble 1500" thermomechanical simulator in the form of hot axial compression tests so that the material underwent similar heating and cooling profiles to…

Friction stir welding experiments were undertaken on Al-Li alloys for application to C919 passenger aircraft fuselage panels, and the microstructure and mechanical properties of the welded lap joints were investigated. The materials comprised 2060-T…

The microstructure, hardness, tensile strength and fracture toughness of friction stir welds in cryogenic tanks made from standard AA2219 AlCu alloy and advanced AA2195 AlCuLi alloy (5 mm thickness) were investigated. AA2195 has relatively low densi…

An investigation is presented into the effects of process parameters on weld quality and defect generation (hooking defects, kissing bonds and top plate thinning) in 7075-T6 aircraft stringers (thickness 1.5 mm) lap-joined on 2024-T3 skins (thicknes…

Friction stir lap welding of aluminium alloy to magnesium alloy was investigated, emphasising the tensile strength, fracture location in the joint and microstructure evolution in the weld under different welding heat inputs. Dissimilar joints betwee…

Thick sheets (thickness 5.4 mm) of a ferritic stainless steel (18.33%Cr, 1.81%Mo, 0.2%Nb) were joined by friction stir welding with optimised process parameters (rotational speed 200 rpm, welding speed 100-160 mm/min) and the microstructure and mech…

An empirical process model to estimate tool shoulder temperature for different materials and friction stir welding (FSW) conditions is described that incorporates a design of experiments method and linear regression analysis (MATLAB software) with c…

To better understand the heat generation, temperature distribution and material flow during friction stir welding (FSW), experiments, including some with a pin breaking technique, were undertaken on two aluminium alloys (5083-O (Al, 4.5%Mg) rolled p…

The influence of the tool profile and short welding cycles on the friction stir spot welding (FSSW) of thin aluminium sheet was investigated using several different techniques including high-resolution x-ray tomography. Weld quality, microstructure,…

Two types of WC-Co hard alloy tools (threaded and smooth) were used to friction stir weld an AC4A aluminium matrix composite (Al, 9%Si reinforced with 30 vol.% SiC particles) and the wear behaviour of the tools was investigated. Samples were butt we…

Tensile testing was used to characterise and compare the fracture locations and their influencing factors for a number of friction stir welded aluminium materials (AA-1050, AA-2017, AA-6061). Friction stir welding was carried out on sheets of thickn…

A combined analytical and experimental study was carried out to determine power, heat input, tool shoulder temperature and process efficiency for the FSW of aluminium alloys, carbon steels and titanium alloys and to compare heat input with that for …

Friction stir welding (FSW) was used to form lap joints in two aluminium alloys: A5182 without heat treatment and AlMg0.5Si1 sheet in T4 condition. Sheet thicknesses of 1 and 2 mm were used. The effects of tool rotation direction were assessed. The …

Lap joints between 2 mm aluminium alloy sheet in 2024-T3 (Al, 4.4%Cu, 1.5%Mg, 0.6%Mn) and 7075-T6 (Al, 1.6%Cu, 2.5%Mg, 0.23%Cr, 5.6%Zn) were prepared and evaluated. The welds were produced using a range of welding and tool speeds, with a non-threade…