TWI Digital Library

The quality of friction stir welds of butt joints (including the use of inserts to simulate compensation for poor fit up) between aluminium alloys 5083-H12 (Al, 4.6%Mg, 0.6%Mn, 0.3%Si) and 6082-T6 (Al, 0.7%Mg, 0.9%Si, 0.5%Mn), was evaluated. The wel…

The influence of friction stir welding on the microstructure and mechanical properties of aluminium alloy 6061 was investigated. Aluminium alloy 6061-T651 plate of 6.4 mm (0.25 in) thickness was friction stir welded and the joints characterised by o…

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…

Dissimilar lap joints between aluminium alloys and various steel grades were fabricated by friction stir welding (FSW), FSW tool wear was measured and a phenomenological law was developed with respect to pin length reduction over weld length to repr…

An experimental investigation was made of the effect of welding tool shape on welding defects and material flow during friction stir welding (FSW) of dissimilar materials. Friction stir welding tools used had tool shoulders of tool steel and the pro…

Friction stir welding experiments were undertaken on 2195-T8 (Al, 3.99%Cu, 1.09%Li) alloy sheets (thickness 5 mm) and the weldability, microstructure and mechanical properties of the fabricated butt joints were investigated. Welding was performed us…

A comparative study was undertaken of three different machine types, a modified high payload robot, a CNC milling machine and an ESAB "SuperStir" FSW machine, in terms of their capability for FSW of various aluminium alloys using identical process p…

Weld zone simulation and ballistic testing were employed to determine the effect of friction stir welding on the ballistic performance in the HAZ, thermomechanically affected zone and nugget, under direct impact, of AA 7010-T7651 high-strength alumi…

Friction stir welding (FSW) experiments were conducted on magnesium alloys, wrought AZ31 (Mg, 3%Al, 1%Zn) and cast AZ91 (Mg, 9%Al, 0.6%Zn), to investigate the effect of process conditions on microstructure and hardness. Welding was performed at rota…

A controller was developed and tested for the friction stir welding of copper canisters, used in the nuclear industry. The cascaded loop controller determines the power input requirement and tool temperature to achieve a stable, robust and repeatabl…

Butt joints were fabricated in sheet specimens of 2017A-T451 alloys (Al, 4.14%Cu) and cast plates of Al, 8.6%Si, 0.31%Mg by friction stir welding (FSW) and their microstructure and mechanical properties were investigated. Welding experiments were co…

A review is presented of the progressive emergence of conceptual tools associated with friction stir welding (FSW) at the Marshall Space Flight Center, USA, from the discovery of the shear surface, wiping metal transfer and the invention of a kinema…

With regard to the fabrication of closure welds for used fuel containers, a series of experiments was undertaken to demonstrate the feasibility of creating defect-free partial penetration welds by friction stir welding (FSW) in A516 Grade 70 steel (…

Friction stir welding was employed to fabricate welded joints in AA 7475-T7351 aluminium alloy plates (thickness 6.35 mm) and the effect of kissing bond defects on fatigue life and other mechanical properties was investigated. Welded test specimens …

A thermal-pseudo-mechanical model, based on the use of material temperature-dependent yield stress as the driver for heat input, was proposed for heat generation in friction stir welding, and simulation results were compared with experimental temper…