FRICTION STIR WELDING OF ALUMINIUM ALLOYS - A REVIEW

This welding is a novel process used to join metallic alloys. Friction stir welding is in vogue in aerospace, automotive and other industrial establishments for connecting alloys like aluminum, magnesium and copper. Rotational speed, welding speed and the angle of attack are important in the process of FSW. They analyze the weld quality. FSW produces stronger weld joint then the original material in selected parameters. FSW is a solid-state process, where metal is not melted uses a cylindrical shouldered tool with a profiled pin rotated and gradually plunged into the weld joint between two metal parts of plate or sheet that are to be welded together. Frictional heat is produced between the tool and material causing the work parts to soften below the melting temperature, and then physically intermixes the both the metals at the place of the joint, further softened metal due to the high temperature is joined using mechanical pressure applied by the tool. This leaves a solid-phase bond between the two parts. Because temperature below the melting point and joining takes place below the melting temperature of the material, a high-quality weld is created.