TWI

Following a summary of the current applications for friction stir welding at Boeing, the Brotje Automation FSW system is introduced. Presentation slides give notes on complex contour FSW in a large work envelope, the characteristics of a robust prod…

A modified Gleeble hot torsion test was used to simulate the stir zone microstructures in types 304L and 310 stainless steels obtained during friction stir welding (FSW). A Gleeble 3800 with a torsion mobile conversion unit was used to perform the t…

A description is presented of the process flow of a production job based on friction stir welding (FSW) for the serial production of aluminium drying trays for the food industry. FSW joint quality issues (joint impermeability, weld surface quality a…

With the aim of overcoming the thickness limitations of conventional friction stir welding (FSW), a multilayer multirun FSW process was developed in which six layers of ASTM A516 G70 (0.18%C, 1.1%Mn, 0.08%Cr, 0.16%Ni, 0.04%Mo, 0.02%Ti, 0.03%Al, 0.32…

Annealed AISI 420 martensitic stainless steel (0.46%C, 0.3%Mn, 13.8%Cr) sheets (thickness 3 mm) were subjected to dry or wet friction stir processing (FSP) and the correlation between microstructure, hardness and process parameters was investigated.…

Friction stir welding (FSW) was conducted on high-strength pipe steel plates (thickness 12.7 mm) using commercially pure tungsten, tungsten-rhenium (W, 25%Re) and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride pin tools; mechanical properties of the welded joi…

A method for incorporating local material property gradients across the weld zone in finite element simulations of friction stir welded 2139-T8 aluminium alloys was developed to predict the time evolution of strain. Local material flow stress was de…

The friction stir welding of chromium steel (12%Cr) and of the dissimilar combination of chromium steel with low carbon steel were investigated, and the process economics compared with those of MMA, MIG and submerged arc welding. Welds were made in …

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…

Friction stir welding experiments using a W-Re pin tool were undertaken on thermohydrogen processed Ti, 6-6.2%Al, 4.15-4.18%V, 0-0.5%H alloys to investigate the effect of hydrogen content on weldability, and the welded joint morphology, microstructu…

A silicon nitride (Si3N4) tool with a threaded pin was used for friction spot joining of ultralow carbon (0.004-0.01%C, 0.1-0.16%Mn) and DP 590 grade dual-phase high-strength steel (0.06%C, 0.49%Si, 1.23%Mn) sheets, and the microstructure and mechan…

Friction stir welding (FSW) was employed to join various aerospace aluminium alloys, the welded joints were characterised with respect to microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, and the effects of post-weld artificial ageing …

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…

An investigation is presented into the effect of frictional heating on joint behaviour during friction stir welding (FSW) between aluminium alloy 6063 and mild steel S45C, the cross-section microstructure of the weld interface, and the welding mecha…

The friction stir welding of dissimilar aluminium alloys for the production of aircraft structural components was investigated. Welds were made between alloys 7040 and 7449 pre-aged to obtain a defined temper after post-weld ageing. Alloy 7040 was a…

The effects of friction stir welding (FSW) parameters and tool geometry on the forces and torques generated during the FSW of four aluminium alloys were studied. The alloys were 6082-T6 (6.45 mm), 5083-H111 (6.55 mm), 2014-T6 (5.9 mm) and 7075-T7351…

The decision to use friction stir welding (FSW) in the manufacture of aluminium alloy car wheels by Simmons Wheels, Sydney, Australia is described. Rim sections are formed from alloy 6061 in thicknesses of 4-6 mm. These are attached to cast or forge…

Friction stir welded joints in 2024-T351 Al-Cu-Mg alloy were subjected to fatigue testing to evaluate the suitability of this welding process for aircraft manufacture. Aluminium alloy (Al, 3.8-4.9%Cu, 1.2-1.8%Cu, 0.5%Si, 0.5%Fe, 0.2%Zr) of 6.35 mm (…