TWI Digital Library

Friction stir welding experiments between AA 6063 aluminium alloy and S45C carbon steel (thickness 6 mm) were performed, and the effects of heat input on the butt joint macrostructure (cavities formed at weld interface), hardness and plastic flow of…

A refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW) process with a short welding cycle time was employed to fabricate welded joints in thin gauge AA 6111-T4 aluminium alloy sheets (thickness 0.9 mm) and the mechanical properties of the joints were investiga…

An apparatus was developed to analyse the contact condition between the rotating tool and the workpiece during friction stir welding, and empirical tests were performed to determine the friction conditions (static, dynamic and the transition from on…

An investigation is presented into the effect of a paint bake cycle on the performance of friction stir spot welded (FSSW) joints fabricated in heat-treatable 6111-T4 aluminium alloy automotive sheets (thickness 0.93 mm) using a pinless tool and sho…

An ultrasound assisted friction stir welding (UA-FSW) technique was employed to fabricate butt joints in similar Al/Al and dissimilar Al/Mg sheets, and the influence of ultrasonic oscillations on weld zone microstructure and mechanical properties wa…

Dissimilar welded joints between AW 6061-T6 aluminium alloy (Al, 0.93%Mg, 0.59%Si, 0.5%Fe) and AZ31B-H24 magnesium alloy (Mg, 2.55%Al, 0.79%Zn) were fabricated by friction stir welding and the influence of process parameters on their microstructure …

An experimental study was carried out to characterise the types of defect which may occur in friction stir welding (FSW) when operating outside the standard processing window and to determine the causes of these defects. Friction stir welds were mad…

Results are presented from tests carried out to determine the mechanical and corrosion properties of friction stir welds in sheets of thickness 4 mm of two aerospace aluminium alloys AA-6056 and AA-6013. The specimens included alloys in the T6 condi…

The Welding of Airframes by Friction Stir (WAFS) project was implemented to increase the adoption of friction stir welding (FSW) for welding airframes in the aerospace industry. The partners in WAFS include all the main airframe manufacturers in Eur…

The use of friction stir welding in aircraft manufacture, particularly the Airbus, both as an alternative to riveting and for the production of tailored blanks, is discussed. Potential benefits include cost and weight reduction. The European aircraf…

Friction stir welding developments, equipment, and applications for the joining of aluminium alloys, particularly for automotive applications, are reviewed. Body in white automotive applications include aluminium alloy tailor welded blanks and the m…

Stress corrosion cracking in friction stir welded aluminium alloy joints was investigated using two alternative techniques. Aluminium alloy 7050-T7541 (Al, 5.7-6.7%Zn, 2.0-2.6%Cu, 1.9-2.6%Mg, 0.15%Fe, 0.12%Si) plate of 6.35 mm (0.25 in) thickness wa…

Friction stir welding (FSW) was employed to fabricate a single overlap joint between sheet specimens (thickness 1.5 mm) of an AA 6181-T4 aluminium alloy and ZStE-340 high-strength steel, and weld phase composition, microstructure and mechanical prop…

The deformation behaviour and microstructural evolution of friction stir processed Zn, 22%Al rolled sheet (thickness 3 mm) were compared with those of the corresponding superplastic alloy. Friction stir processing was performed at a rotational speed…

Following a description of the swept FSW spot welding process, experimental work on welding conditions is presented. A design of experiments (DOE) approach was employed to examine the effect of process parameters on unguided lap shear tensile streng…

With regard to the occurrence of coarse alpha-Al dendrites, eutectic phase, shrinkage porosity and other defects in cast aluminium alloys, an investigation was undertaken into the influence of different combinations of friction stir processing (FSP)…

With regard to the development of friction stir shaping as a modified friction stir welding (FSW) process to maximise material flow within the weld zone and redistribute it into new shapes or features outside of or on top of the weld zone, an invest…

In order to study the relationship between material flow and the development of highly variant process forces during friction stir welding (FSW), a high sampling rate triaxial force measurement device and a high speed camera were employed to monitor…

6061-T6 aluminium alloy (Al, 0.96%Mg, 0.59%Si) sheets (thickness 1 mm) were joined by friction stir spot welding (FSSW) under low rotational speed conditions and the microstructure and mechanical properties of the welded joints were investigated. FS…

Lap joints were fabricated in AA 7075-T6 aluminium alloy sheets (thickness 2 mm) using an ESAB "Rosio" friction stir welding (FSW) robot and the effect tool of side-tilt angle on welded joint tensile strength was investigated. A "CounterStir" FSW to…