TWI Digital Library

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…

The effects of laser surfacing on the microstructure and corrosion properties of friction stir welds in 6.34 mm (0.25 in) thickness plates of aluminium alloys 2024-T351 and 7010-T7651 were studied. Specimens were laser surfaced using an excimer lase…

Developments in non-destructive techniques for detecting small defects in friction stir welds in thin aluminium plates in aerospace applications are considered. The principles of ultrasonic phased-array technology and eddy current array technology a…

Friction stir welded joints, produced in an extruded profile of aluminium alloy 6082-T6 using run on and run off plates, were evaluated by measurement of mechanical properties. Plate of 6 mm thickness was welded using a range of process parameters, …

Flow in friction stir welds in Al-Cu-Li aluminium alloy 2195-T8 plate (8.1 mm thickness) was observed by placing markers in the faying surface prior to welding. Markers of aluminium alloy 5454-H32 (1.8 x 2.7 mm) were placed in slots milled in the fa…

A slide presentation outlining the development of a low cost transportable friction stir welding machine for use in stiffened panel production in shipyards. The development of the use of fixed geometry bobbin tools and of specifically designed equip…

Based on a dynamical control-low stress no distortion (DC-LSND) methodology, an array jet impingement heat sink apparatus was designed to facilitate reductions of residual stress and distortion in friction stir welding (FSW), and test results were o…

In relation to the European funded research project HILDA (high integrity low distortion assembly) to encourage the industrial take up of friction stir welding (FSW) for structural steels, an investigation was undertaken into the microstructure and …

A technique was developed to fill the exit hole during the retraction phase of a friction stir welding (FSW) sequence which, by using existing equipment functionality and designing a hollow FSW tool, syringe-type delivery system and pre-loaded alumi…

Friction stir welding (FSW) was employed to undertake lap joining of very thin sheets (thickness 1 mm) of aluminium alloys and a structural steel using different tool geometries and a wide range of process parameters, and the microstructure and mech…

A fully integrated approach to facilitate optimisation of the friction stir welding (FSW) process was developed, incorporating a model for the FSW process, coupling material flow and thermal analysis, a model for precipitation evolution, a microstru…

A scanning nonlinear acoustic NDT method was employed to detect the presence of kissing bonds in a friction stir welded 2000 series aluminium alloy and experimental results were validated using coupons taken from the scan area and inspected by optic…

To gain further understanding of the mechanism for abnormal grain growth occurring in the stir zone of friction stir welded (FSW) aluminium alloys during post weld heat treatment (PWHT), details of the grain growth phenomena were examined in commerc…

The principles of spot friction welding (SFW) and the differences between SFW and linear friction stir welding (FSW) are outlined. Displacement control and load control of SFW machines are described. Experiments were conducted using a displacement-c…

An experimental canister welding machine was developed in order to evaluate FSW as a method of welding the copper canisters used in the long term storage of nuclear waste. Preliminary trials involved the development of a machine with sufficient stif…

Friction stir welds in austenitic stainless steels 316L (0.019%C, 0.87%Mn, 17.70%Cr, 12.19%Ni, 2.19%Mo) and 304 (0.040%C, 1.08%Mn, 18.10%Cr, 8.56%Ni); duplex stainless steel 329J4L (0.016%C, 0.78%Mn, 24.81%Cr, 7.27%Ni, 3.13%Mo, 0.43%Cu, 0.41%W); and…

A discussion is presented on developments in polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) tool design for use in the friction stir welding of high temperature materials such as steels. Improvements in tool material grades, tool design and FSW equipmen…

The deformation microstructures formed during friction stir welding (FSW) of 7075-T6 aluminium alloy (Al, 5.76%Zn, 2.46%Mg, 1.32%Cu) were studied using SEM with electron back-scattered diffraction. The sheet thickness was 1.5 mm. The alloy was evalu…

Models were developed for the temperature distribution and material flow during friction stir welding. Both friction and material shearing were presumed to generate heat, and finite element analysis was used to determine the temperature distribution…