Recent advances in friction-stir welding : Process, weldment structure and properties

The comprehensive body of knowledge that has built up with respect to the friction stir welding (FSW) of aluminium alloys since the technique was invented in 1991 is reviewed The basic principles of FSW are described, including thermal history and metal flow, before discussing how process parameters affect the weld microstructure and the likelihood of entraining defects After introducing the characteristic macroscopic features, the microstructural development and related distribution of hardness are reviewed in some detail for the two classes of wrought aluminium alloy (non-heat-treatable and heat-treatable) Finally, the range of mechanical properties that can be achieved is discussed, including consideration of residual stress, fracture, fatigue and corrosion It is demonstrated that FSW of aluminium is becoming an increasingly mature technology with numerous commercial applications In spite of this, much remains to be learned about the process and opportunities for further research a

Friction stir welding of aluminium alloys

Microstructural investigation of friction stir welded 7050-T651 aluminium

The microstructural distribution associated with a hardness profile in a friction-stir-welded, age-hardenable 6063 aluminum alloy has been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and orientation imaging microscopy (OIM). The friction-stir process produces a softened region in the 6063 Al weld. Frictional heating and plastic flow during friction-stir welding create fine recrystallized grains in the weld zone and recovered grains in the thermomechanically affected zone. The hardness profile depends greatly on the precipitate distribution and only slightly on the grain size. The softened region is characterized by dissolution and growth of the precipitates during the welding. Simulated weld thermal cycles with different peak temperatures have shown that the precipitates are dissolved at temperatures higher than 675 K and that the density of the strengthening precipitate was reduced by thermal cycles lower than 675 K. A comparison between the thermal cycles and isothermal aging has suggested precipitation sequences in the softened region during friction-stir welding.

Microstructural evolution of 6063 aluminum during friction-stir welding

In the present investigation, a numerical three-dimensional (3-D) heat flow model for friction stir welding (FSW) has been developed, based on the method of finite differences. The algorithm, which is implemented in MATLAB 5.2, is provided with a separate module for calculation of the microstructure evolution and the resulting hardness distribution. The process model is validated by comparison with in-situ thermocouple measurements and experimental hardness profiles measured at specific time intervals after welding to unravel the strength recovery during natural aging. Furthermore, the grain structure within the plastically deformed region of the as-welded materials has been characterized by means of the electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) technique in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Some practical applications of the process model are described toward the end of the article.

Olga Valerio Flores

Papers

Microstructural issues in a friction-stir-welded aluminum alloy