Friction Stir Welding of Similar and Dissimilar Aluminium Alloys for Automotive Applications (original) (raw)

Due to environmental issues, the efforts for light weighting in automobile design and manufacturing have become the main focus for automotive players to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emission through intensive use of aluminium alloys. However, since aluminium alloys are known to be difficult to weld, joining of similar and dissimilar aluminium alloys in automotive are crucial to be solved. In this study, the friction stir welding known as solid state joining process is extensively used in joining of similar and dissimilar 5mm thickness aluminium alloys. The butt-joint types of similar joint (Al5083-Al5083) and dissimilar joint (Al5083-Al6061) were carried out under the same welding parameters, in which the rotation speed was 1000rpm and transverse speed was 100 mm/minute. Macro and microstructure observations were acquired at the transverse cross section of the weld regions respectively by stereo and optical microscope. The microstructural study indicated the spread out of materials mixing between two materials at both sides of welding part. In the similar welding the formation an ‘onion ring’ structure has been detected in the nugget zone, while wavy and distorted patterns appeared in dissimilar joints. The tensile test results showed similar fracture patterns in all tensile specimens for similar welding joint where all fractures occurred in thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ). However, tensile specimens of dissimilar welding joint break up at TMAZ region as well as at Al6061 base metal in retreating side. In comparison the tensile strength of similar joints Al5083-Al5083 and dissimilar joint Al5083-Al6061 were 22% and 19% lower compared to base metal of Al5083 and Al6061, respectively.

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