Process parameters/material location affecting hooking in friction stir lap welding: Dissimilar aluminum alloys

ABSTRACT

Influence of spindle and weld speeds, metal location, direction of spindle rotation, and tool pin length on hooking in lap FSW of dissimilar aluminum alloys and the effect of hook on tensile and fatigue weld strength was studied. Optical images of the cross-section of the specimen welded at different process parameters were analyzed. The results indicate that increased spindle speed, reduced weld speed, higher tool pin length, clockwise spindle rotation, and locating the stronger material at the bottom of the joint increased the size of the hooking defect. Higher weld speeds and very high spindle speeds resulted in lower hook size on the advancing side (AS) compared to the retreating side (RS) of the joint. Welding with low weld speed would result in higher advancing side hook size compared to the retreating side. Friction stir weld joints fabricated with anti-clockwise spindle rotation has been found to have extremely low hook both on the AS and the RS of the joint. The tensile and fatigue strengths of the weld joints and plates are degraded by the hook. The fatigue strength of welded alloys could be improved by a double pass weld, the second pass welded immediately adjacent to the first pass.

KEYWORDS:

• Alloy
• aluminum
• friction
• hook
• location
• rotation
• spindle
• stir
• weld