TWI Digital Library

A friction stir welding (FSW) process map for AA 7075-T6 aluminium alloy (Al, 5.1-6.1%Zn, 2.1-2.9%Mg, 1.2-2%Cu) was determined using combined NDT techniques such as visual inspection, dye penetrant testing, X-ray radiography and ultrasonic testing a…

In relation to weight and cost saving on spaceflight pressure vessels, two friction stir lap welding methods were demonstrated on large-scale thin-gauge hardware and evaluated with respect to tooling and tooling cost reduction, lap joint stiffness a…

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…

Friction stir welding trials, comprising double-sided butt welding of plates of thickness 10-11 mm, were conducted to investigate the weldability of copper and its alloys and to determine the correct process parameters (welding and rotation speeds) …

Tensile tests, computed tomography and documentation of process forces were employed to investigate the weldability of 1.4310 austenitic stainless steel reinforced extruded AW-6060 alloy (Al, 0.35-0.6%Mg, 0.6%Si) by friction stir welding, and the re…

Following a brief overview of the state of the art and applications for FSW of aluminium and Al alloys, experience and activities with this process at TWI Ltd (UK) are introduced. Principles, advantages and applications are presented of some process…

The influence of tool geometry and process conditions on the lap shear strength, weld integrity and efficiency during friction stir spot welding of magnesium alloys for automotive applications was investigated. The macro- and microstructures and wel…

With regard to the development of spin-formed domes for aerospace cryogenic fuel storage tanks, an investigation is presented into a friction stir welding (FSW) process for AA 2219 and AA 2195 aluminium alloys and the influence of FSW tool and proce…

With regard to the dependence of welded joint properties on tool probe shape during friction stir welding (FSW) of dissimilar butt joints between aluminium and steel, an investigation was undertaken into the interface formation mechanism by conducti…

Friction stir welding (FSW) of 2219-T6 aluminium alloys (Al, 6.48%Cu) was undertaken with the assistance of micro-plasma arc preheating, and welding efficiency as well as joint microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. Longitudinal…

Friction stir welding (FSW) was employed to join partially recrystallised AA 5052 (Al, 2.3%Mg) sheet specimens (thickness 5 mm) and the relationship between microstructural development, mechanical properties and process parameters was investigated. …

An investigation was undertaken to evaluate friction stir processing (FSP) as a repair technique for AA 7075-T6 aluminium alloys and to examine the mechanical and fatigue performance of the repaired joints for applications such as repair of MIG and …

An experimental investigation was conducted to examine weldability, material thickness, welding speed and joint geometry aspects of robotic friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminium alloy aircraft structures. An ABB IRB7600-500 serial design robot wa…

Weld initiation experiments were undertaken on various Al-Mg(-Si) alloy extrusions to develop fixed-gap bobbin tool designs and process procedures to facilitate friction stir welding (FSW) of sheet specimens as thin as 3 mm. The alloy grades studied…

Friction stir welding (FSW) was employed to weld Mo and Ti sheets (thickness 1.5 and 2 mm, respectively), the effects of process conditions on weldability as well as mechanical properties and microstructure of joints was investigated, and the import…

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…

Butt joints were fabricated by friction stir welding (FSW) in 4340 steel (0.43%C, 0.69%Mn, 0.76%Cr, 1.76%Ni, 0.24%Mo, 0.43%V, 0.16%Cu) and between 4340 steel and Inconel 718 (Ni, 17-21%Cr, 4.7-5.5%Nb, 2.8-3.3%Mo) and their microstructure and mechani…