EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FRICTION STIR WELDED BUTT JOINT OF ALUMINIUM ALLOY AA6061

ABSTRACT Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is solid state welding process. This process is widely used in now a day because it produces sound welds and does not have common problems such as solidification and liquefaction cracking associated with fusion welding techniques. Using Taguchi design of experiments, at different levels of identical process parameters, orthogonal array is selected based on the orthogonal array the test specimens are to be prepared using FSW process. The present work aims to determine the feasibility to weld aluminium alloy AA6061 by FSW process and study the effect of process parameters on the mechanical properties of welded joint. By using MINITAB17 analyzed the results and plotted the S/N ratio and mean graphs. Special welding fixture fixed on conventional milling machine has been conducted to attempt this welding. Finally, the mechanical properties of welded joints were investigated using destructive testing.