TWI

The development of an industrialised robot for friction stir welding (FSW) for aluminium alloys is described. The influence of the main processing parameters, plunging and rotational speeds, on FSW performance and efficiency were investigated. The q…

The tool wear, performance life and optimal parameters for the friction stir welding (FSW) of mild and stainless steels were investigated. Bead-on-plate welds were made in AISI 304L stainless steel (6 mm thickness) and A36 cold-rolled mild steel (6 …

An investigation is presented into the development of a flexible 3D friction stir welding (FSW) process capacity incorporating a rail mounted industrial robot to facilitate high production rate repair of aluminium cathodes for electro refining opera…

In relation to the occurrence of abnormal grain growth in aluminium alloy spun formed dome development using friction stir welded (FSW) blanks, an investigation is presented into tensile tests performed on two AA 2195 (Al, 4%Cu, 1%Li) FSW parameter …

In relation to the development of friction stir welding (FSW) technology for railway rolling stock manufacture in China, an investigation is presented into the microstructure and mechanical properties of AA 6005A-T6 aluminium alloy (Al, 0.56%Mg, 0.7…

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 …

An integrated modelling approach, incorporating coupled process, material response and material performance models, was developed and implemented for use in friction stir welding (FSW) of aerospace structures. The process model employed was a dynami…

A computational fluid dynamics code ("CosmosFlow") was employed to evaluate the temperature distribution in materials during friction stir welding (FSW). Thermal simulations based on finite element models were undertaken to predict the optimum ratio…

Friction stir spot welding (FSSW) was performed on dual phase 800 high strength automotive steel (0.14%C, 0.23%Si, 1.52%Mn) to establish the effect of tool rotation speed (750-2400 rpm) for a number of weld cycles featuring different Z-axis plunge r…

Friction stir welding tools of three different compositions (MS80, Q70 and Q60) of polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) were tested to examine wear and fracture sensitivity. Three tools were made from each composition and were run for a total …

Defect free welded joints were fabricated in 5083-O aluminium alloy (Al, 4.3%Mg, 0.65%Mn) plates (thickness 20 mm) by friction stir welding (FSW) and the influence of tool geometrical features on their microstructures and structure properties relati…

As part of a study investigating friction stir welding (FSW) as a method for joining the lids on copper canisters for the long term storage of nuclear waste, finite element modelling was used to analyse heat flow and material flow and the developmen…

The effects of tool shoulder size and tilt angle on the formation of weld zones during the friction stir welding of aluminium alloys were studied. Aluminium alloy 5083 (Al, 4.2%Mg, 0.2%Si, 0.6%Mn, 0.15%Fe, 0.09%Cr, 0.09%Zn, 0.06%Cu, 0.02%Ti), an all…

The microstructure and mechanical properties (hardness profiles, tensile strength) of friction stir welded (FSW) joints of ZL114A cast aluminium alloy (Al, 6.5-7.5%Si, 0.45-0.6%Mg), a material of interest for applications in the aerospace industry, …

Friction stir welding (FSW) was applied to the magnesium alloy AZ91 (Mg, 8.21%Al, 0.64%Zn), optimum welding parameters were derived, structural and mechanical properties of the weld zone were determined, and the influence of microstructure on weld p…

The use of friction stir welding to produce aluminium alloy tailor welded blanks for automotive applications was investigated by measuring the hardness and microstructure of friction stir welds in aluminium alloy 5052 (Al, 2.46%Mg, 0.24%Fe, 0.15%Cr,…

Torsion testing was carried out using a range of temperatures and strains to simulate the formation of nugget zone grain structures in friction stir welds of a typical aluminium alloy (7010) in order to investigate the formation mechanisms. Electron…

The effects of pre and post weld heat treatments on the strength, fracture toughness and fatigue crack propagation of welds made by friction stir welding (FSW) in aluminium alloy 6013-T6 sheet material, which may replace the 2024-T3 skin alloy for f…