Effect of Weld Zone Shape on Microstructure and Tensile Properties in Friction Stir Welding Process

Abstract:

This article presents the effect of weld zone shapes on microstructure and tensile properties of weld joints in friction stir welding. Experiments are conducted using four different tool pin profiles that are cylindrical, conical, cylindrical-conical and stepped-conical for analysing the weld zone shape. The weld zone shape properties are defined by characteristic length. Grain size and mode of fracture surface behavior are analysed by optical microscope and scanning microscope respectively and tensile strength is measured by universal testing machine. It is also observed that the weld zone shape of all pin profile tool is vase shape. In which, cylindrical, conical and cylindrical-conical pin profile tools produce basin dominant vase shape and stepped-conical pin profile tool produces cylinder dominant vase shape. The experimental result shows that the weld joint fabricated by stepped-conical pin profile tool produces the smallest grain, good ductile fracture mode and highest tensile properties as compared to other pin profile tool. This analysis shows that cylinder dominant vase shape produces high tensile properties and enhance ductile fracture mode in the weld joint.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 978)
• Pages: 84-90
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/MSF.978.84
• Online since: February 2020
• Authors: Prashant Prakash*, Ravi Shankar Anand, Sanjay Kumar Jha
• Keywords: Fracture Mode, Friction Stir Welding (FSW), Microstructure, Tensile Properties, Tool Pin Profiles, Weld Zone Shape

References

[1] B. T. Gibson, D. H. Lammlein, T. J. Prater, W. R. Longhurst, C. D. Cox, M. C. Ballun, K. J. Dharmaraj, G. E. Cook, and A. M. Strauss, Friction stir welding: process, automation, and control, J Manuf Process. (2014); 16(1):56-73.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jmapro.2013.04.002

[2] S. Rajakumar, C. Muralidharan, and V. Balasubramanian, Establishing empirical relationships to predict grain size and tensile strength of friction stir welded AA 6061-T6 aluminium alloy joints, Trans Nonferrous Met Soc of China. (2010); 20(10):1863-72.

DOI: 10.1016/s1003-6326(09)60387-3

[3] M. H. Shojaeefard, A. Khalkhali, M. Akbari, and P. Asadi, Investigation of friction stir welding tool parameters using FEM and neural network, Proceedings of the Institution of Tensile Engineers, Part L: J Mater: Des Applica. (2015); 229(3):209-17.

DOI: 10.1177/1464420713509075

[4] W. M. Thomas, K. I. Johnson, and C. S. Wiesner, Friction stir welding–recent developments in tool and process technologies, Advanc Eng Mater. (2003); 5(7):485-90.

DOI: 10.1002/adem.200300355

[5] R. S, Mishra, and Z. Y. Ma, Friction stir welding and processing." Mater Sci Eng : R: Reports. (2005);50(1):1-78.

[6] He Xiaocong, F. Gu, and A. Ball, A review of numerical analysis of friction stir welding, Progress in Mater Sci. (2014);65:1-66.

DOI: 10.1016/j.pmatsci.2014.03.003

[7] Y.H. Zhao, S. B. Lin, F. X. Qu, and L. Wu, Influence of pin geometry on material flow in friction stir welding process, Mater letters. (2005); 59(23):2948-52.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2005.04.048

[8] O. Lorrain, , V. Favier, H. Zahrouni, and D. Lawrjaniec, Understanding the material flow path of friction stir welding process using unthreaded tools, J Mater Process Technol. (2010); 210(4):603-9.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2009.11.005

[9] A. F. Hasan, C. J. Bennett, and P. H. Shipway, A numerical comparison of the flow behaviour in Friction Stir Welding (FSW) using unworn and worn tool geometries, Mater Des. (2015); 87:1037-46.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2015.08.016

[10] J. Marzbanrad, , M. Akbari, P. Asadi, and S. Safaee, Characterization of the influence of tool pin profile on microstructural and mechanical properties of friction stir welding, Metall Mater Trans B. (2014);45(5):1887-94.

DOI: 10.1007/s11663-014-0089-9

[11] C. N. Suresha, B. M. Rajaprakash, and S. Upadhya, A study of the effect of tool pin profiles on tensile strength of welded joints produced using friction stir welding process, Mater Manuf Process. (2011); 26(9):1111-6.

DOI: 10.1080/10426914.2010.532527

[12] H. J. Liu, H. Fujii, M. Maeda, and K. Nogi, Tensile properties and fracture locations of friction-stir-welded joints of 2017-T351 aluminum alloy, J Mater Process Technol. (2003); 142(3):692-6.

DOI: 10.1016/s0924-0136(03)00806-9

[13] S. Muthukumaran, and S. K. Mukherjee, Multi-layered metal flow and formation of onion rings in friction stir welds, Int J Advanc Manuf Technol. (2008); 38(1):68-73.

DOI: 10.1007/s00170-007-1071-3

[14] K. S. Kumar, V. K., and S. V. Kailas, The role of friction stir welding tool on material flow and weld formation, Mater Sci Eng : A. (2008); 485(1):367-74.

DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2007.08.013

[15] O. Lorrain, V. Favier, H. Zahrouni, and D. Lawrjaniec, Friction stir welding using unthreaded tools: analysis of the flow, Int J Mater For . (2010); 3:1043-6.

DOI: 10.1007/s12289-010-0949-z

[16] O. Lorrain, , J. Serri, V. Favier, H. Zahrouni, and M. El Hadrouz, A contribution to a critical review of friction stir welding numerical simulation, J mech mater struct. (2009); 4(2):351-69.

DOI: 10.2140/jomms.2009.4.351

[17] A, Dorbane, G. Ayoub, B. Mansoor, R. F. Hamade, and A. Imad, Effect of Temperature on Microstructure and Fracture Mechanisms in Friction Stir Welded Al6061 Joints, J Mater Eng Perf. (2017); 26(6):2542-54.

DOI: 10.1007/s11665-017-2704-9

[18] E. Salari, M. Jahazi, A. Khodabandeh, and H. Ghasemi-Nanesa, Influence of tool geometry and rotational speed on mechanical properties and defect formation in friction stir lap welded 5456 aluminum alloy sheets, Mater Des. (2014); 58:381-9.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2014.02.005

[19] P. Prakash, S. K. Jha, and S. P. Lal, Effect of Tool-Pin Profile on Weld Zone and Mechanical Properties in Friction Stir Welding of Aluminium Alloy, Pertanika J of Sci.& Tech. (2018). 26, no. 2.