Empirical Dynamic Modeling of Friction Stir Welding Processes

Author(s):  
Xin Zhao ◽  
Prabhanjana Kalya ◽  
Robert G. Landers ◽  
K. Krishnamurthy

Current Friction Stir Welding (FSW) process modeling research is concerned with the detailed analysis of local effects such as material flow, heat generation, etc. These detailed thermo-mechanical models are typically solved using finite element or finite difference schemes and require substantial computational effort to determine temperature, forces, etc. at a single point in time. Dynamic models describing the total forces acting on the tool throughout the entire welding process are required for the design of feedback control strategies and improved process planning and analysis. In this paper, empirical models relating the process parameters (i.e., plunge depth, traverse rate, and rotation speed) to the process variables (i.e., axial, traverse, and lateral forces) are developed to understand their dynamic relationship. First, the steady-state relationship between the process parameters and variables is constructed, and the relative importance of each process parameter on each process variable is determined. Next, the dynamic process response characteristics are determined using Recursive Least-Squares. The results indicate that the steady-state relationship between the process parameters and variables is well characterized by a nonlinear power relationship, and the dynamic responses are well characterized by low-order linear equations. Experiments are conducted that validate the developed FSW dynamic models.

Author(s):  
Xin Zhao ◽  
Prabhanjana Kalya ◽  
Robert G. Landers ◽  
K. Krishnamurthy

Current friction stir welding (FSW) process modeling research is mainly concerned with the detailed analysis of local effects such as material flow, heat generation, etc. These detailed thermomechanical models are typically solved using finite element or finite difference schemes and require substantial computational effort to determine temperature, forces, etc., at a single point in time, or for a very short time range. Dynamic models describing the total forces acting on the tool throughout the entire welding process are required for the design of feedback control strategies and improved process planning and analysis. In this paper, empirical models relating the process parameters (i.e., plunge depth, travel speed, and rotation speed) to the process variables (i.e., axial, path, and normal forces) are developed to understand their dynamic relationships. First, the steady-state relationships between the process parameters and the process variables are constructed, and the relative importance of each process parameter on each process variable is determined. Next, the dynamic characteristics of the process variables are determined using recursive least-squares. The results indicate the steady-state relationship between the process parameters and the process variables is well characterized by a nonlinear power relationship, and the dynamic responses are well characterized by low-order linear equations. Experiments are conducted that validate the developed FSW dynamic models.


2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 512-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suresh Meshram ◽  
Madhusudhan Reddy

Heat treatable aluminium alloy AA2219 is widely used for aerospace applications, welded through gas tungsten and gas metal arc welding processes. Welds of AA2219 fabricated using a fusion welding process suffers from poor joint properties or welding defects due to melting and re-solidification. Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid-state welding process and hence free from any solidification related defects. However, FSW also results in defects which are not related to solidification but due to improper process parameter selection. One of the important process parameters, i.e., tool tilt angle plays a critical role in material flow during FSW, controlling the size and location of the defects. Effect of tool tilt angle on material flow and defects in FSW is ambiguous. A study is therefore taken to understand the role of tool tilt angle on FSW defects. Variation in temperature, forces, and torque generated during FSW as a result of different tool tilt angles was found to be responsible for material flow in the weld, controlling the weld defects. An intermediate tool tilt angle (1o-2o) gives weld without microscopic defect in 7 mm thick AA2219 for a given set of other process parameters. At this tool tilt angle, x-force, and Z- force is balanced with viscosity and the material flow strain rate sufficient for the material to flow and fill internal voids or surface defects in the weld.


2018 ◽  
Vol 178 ◽  
pp. 03003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Bosneag ◽  
Marius Adrian Constantin ◽  
Eduard Niţu ◽  
Monica Iordache

Friction Stir Welding, abbreviated FSW is a new and innovative welding process. This welding process is increasingly required, more than traditional arc welding, in industrial environment such us: aeronautics, shipbuilding, aerospace, automotive, railways, general fabrication, nuclear, military, robotics and computers. FSW, more than traditional arc welding, have a lot of advantages, such us the following: it uses a non-consumable tool, realise the welding process without melting the workpiece material, can be realised in all positions (no weld pool), results of good mechanical properties, can use dissimilar materials and have a low environmental impact. This paper presents the results of experimental investigation of friction stir welding joints to three dissimilar aluminium alloy AA2024, AA6061 and AA7075. For experimenting the value of the input process parameters, the rotation speed and advancing speed were kept the same and the position of plates was variable. The exit date recorded in the time of process and after this, will be compared between them and the influence of position of plate will be identified on the welding seams properties and the best position of plates for this process parameters and materials.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1146 ◽  
pp. 32-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marius Adrian Constantin ◽  
Ana Boşneag ◽  
Eduard Niţu ◽  
Lia Nicoleta Boţilă

Welding copper and its alloys is usually difficult to achieve by conventional fusion welding processes because of high thermal diffusivity of the copper, which is at least 10 times higher than most steel alloys, in addition to this, there are the well-known disadvantages of conventional fusion welding represented by necessity of using alloying elements, a shielding gas and a clean surface. To overcome these inconveniences, Friction Stir Welding (FSW), a solid state joining process that relies on frictional heating and plastic deformation, is being explored as a feasible welding process. In order to achieve an increased welding speed and a reduction in tool wear, this process is assisted by another one (TIG) which generates and adds heat to the process. The research includes two experiments for the FSW process and one experiment for tungsten inert gas assisted FSW process. The process parameters that varied were the rotational speed of the tool [rpm] and the welding speed [mm/min] while the compressive force remained constant. The purpose of this paper is to correlate the evolution of temperature, tensile strength, elongation and microscopic aspect with the linear position on the joint (local process parameters) for each experimental case and then make comparisons between them, and to identify and present the set of process parameters that has the best mechanical properties for this material.


2019 ◽  
Vol 969 ◽  
pp. 828-833 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Nandhini ◽  
R. Dinesh Kumar ◽  
S. Muthukumaran ◽  
S. Kumaran

The friction stir welding of polyamide 66 with a specially modified tool is studied. A variation of the conventional friction stir welding is investigated by incorporating a friction plate for the purpose of heating the polymer in the course of welding process through the tool shoulder. This in turn, improves the efficiency of the weld. The association of the welding process parameters and the weld performance has been investigated by the grey relational analysis with multi response characteristics like weld tensile strength, percent elongation and hardness. Macrostructure of the weld joint cross section has been explored by Stereo microscope. The maximum weld tensile strength of 63 MPa and a Shore hardness of 60 D at the weld nugget are obtained. The hardness profiles of the welded samples have been analyzed in this investigation.


Metals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 1480
Author(s):  
Assefa Asmare ◽  
Raheem Al-Sabur ◽  
Eyob Messele

The use of aluminum alloys, nowadays, is swiftly growing from the prerequisite of producing higher strength to weight ratio. Lightweight components are crucial interest in most manufacturing sectors, especially in transportation, aviation, maritime, automotive, and others. Traditional available joining methods have an adverse effect on joining these lightweight engineering materials, increasing needs for new environmentally friendly joining methods. Hence, friction stir welding (FSW) is introduced. Friction stir welding is a relatively new welding process that can produce high-quality weld joints with a lightweight and low joining cost with no waste. This paper endeavors to deals with optimizing process parameters for quality criteria on tensile and hardness strengths. Samples were taken from a 5 mm 6061-T6 aluminum alloy sheet with butt joint configuration. Controlled process parameters tool profile, rotational speed and transverse speed were utilized. The process parameters are optimized making use of the combination of Grey relation analysis method and L9 orthogonal array. Mechanical properties of the weld joints are examined through tensile, hardness, and liquid penetrant tests at room temperature. From this research, rotational speed and traverse speed become significant parameters at a 99% confidence interval, and the joint efficiency reached 91.3%.


Author(s):  
Hosein Atharifar ◽  
Radovan Kovacevic

Minimizing consumed energy in friction stir welding (FSW) is one of the prominent considerations in the process development. Modifications of the FSW tool geometry might be categorized as the initial attempt to achieve a minimum FSW effort. Advanced tool pin and shoulder features as well as a low-conductive backing plate, high-conductive FSW tools equipped with cooling fins, and single or multi-step welding processes are all carried out to achieve a flawless weld with reduced welding effort. The outcomes of these attempts are considerable, primarily when the tool pin traditional designs are replaced with threaded, Trifiute or Trivex geometries. Nevertheless, the problem remains as to how an inclined tool affects the material flow characteristics and the loads applied to the tool. It is experimentally proven that a positive rake angle facilitates the traverse motion of the FSW tool; however, few computational evidences were provided. In this study, numerical material flow and heat transfer analysis are carried out for the presumed tool rake angle ranging from −4° to 4°. Afterwards, the effects of the tool rake angle to the dynamic pressure distribution, strain-rates, and velocity profiles are numerically computed. Furthermore, coefficients of drag, lift, and side force and moment applied to the tool from the visco-plastic material region are computed for each of the tool rake angles. Eventually, this paper confirms that the rake angle dramatically affects the magnitude of the loads applied to the FSW tool, and the developed advanced numerical model might be used to find optimum tool rake angle for other aluminum alloys.


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