Spiral Friction Stir Processing (SFSP) for the Extrusion of Lightweight Alloy Tubes

Author(s):  
Fadi Abu-Farha

While friction stir processing (FSP) has been used to refine the grain structure in sheet metals, this work explores the potentials of refining the grain structure of bulk material using the friction stirring phenomenon via the novel concept of spiral friction stir processing (SFSP). With this concept, the rotating stirring tool is plunged into the material, rather than being traversed across it as in FSP; this imposes severe plastic deformation on the material while pushing it radially outwards in complex spiral paths. By confining the material within a closed cylindrical die, the processed material is microstructurally-refined while forming a tube via a special form of SFSP called “friction stir back extrusion” (FSBE). The hypothesised concept was investigated using samples from the AA6063-T52 aluminium alloy and the AZ31B-F magnesium alloy. The preliminary results presented here demonstrate the viability of SFSP, and the special form of FSBE, in producing tubular samples that are structurally sound, with no signs of voids or internal channels. Optical microscopy was performed at key locations within selected tube specimens, and the obtained micrographs clearly show the presence of a stir zone with a fine grain structure; grain size measurements demonstrate the effectiveness of the processing technique in refining the microstructure of the starting material.

2012 ◽  
Vol 710 ◽  
pp. 264-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Ratna Sunil ◽  
T.S. Sampath Kumar ◽  
Chakkingal Uday

Magnesium and its alloys are promising candidates for temporary implant applications due to their combination of mechanical properties, biocompatibility and biodegradation. But higher degradation rate restricts their wider applications. Recently friction stir processing (FSP) has emerged as a promising tool to attain near surface fine grain structure in materials. In the present work commercial purity magnesium was processed by FSP to obtain fine grain structure and the effect of the grain refinement on the bioactivity was investigated. The microstructural observations were carried out at different locations of the processed regions, from an original grain size of 1500μm, grain refinement was achieved to a level of 6.2μm at the nugget zone. Microhardness was measured across the processed regions and improvement was observed at the nugget zone. Contact angle measurements were carried out to estimate the wettability of the material and the measurements indicate increased wettability due to the increased surface energy induced by grain refinement. For studying the bioactivity the FSPed samples were immersed in simulated body fluids (SBF 5X) for different intervals of time. The phases formed on the samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The phases on the samples after 72hr of immersion were confirmed as magnesium hydroxide, hydroxyapatite and magnesium phosphate by XRD. Controlled degradation due to formation of these phases was observed. FSPed samples have more deposition of Ca/P than non FSP samples which implies better control over the degradation. Hence grain refinement by FSP can be a simple technique to control the degradation of magnesium for temporary implant applications.


2013 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 893-904 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.S. Węglowski ◽  
S. Dymek ◽  
C.B. Hamilton

Abstract Friction Stir Processing (FSP) is a novel solid state processing technique which can be used for microstructural modification of surface layers in metallic materials. This paper analyzes the effects of FSP process parameters on spindle torque acting on the tool and on the tool temperature. It has been shown that an increase in the rotational speed brings about a decrease in the torque and an increase of temperature. For temperature estimation in the stir zone a numerical model was applied, while for predicting a relationship between the spindle torque acting on the tool, rotational and travelling speeds and the down force, the artificial neural networks approach was employed. Light and electron (scanning and transmission) microscopy investigation showed that the FSP process reduces porosity and produces a more uniform distribution of second-phase particles.


2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-300
Author(s):  
Sanjay Kumar ◽  
Ashish Kumar Srivastava ◽  
Rakesh Kumar Singh

Friction stir processing is an avant-garde technique of producing new surface composite or changing the different properties of a material through intense, solid-state localized material plastic deformation. This change in properties depends upon the deformation formed by inserting a non-consumable revolving tool into the workpiece and travels laterally through the workpiece. This research work highlights the effect of process parameters on mechanical properties of fabricated surface composites by friction stir processing. By using various reinforcing materials like Ti, SiC, B4C, Al2O3 with waste elements like waste eggshells, rice husks, coconut shell and coir will be used to fabricate the green composites which are environmentally friendly and reduces the problem of decomposition. The parameter for this experiment is considered as the reinforcing materials, tool rotation speed and tool tilt angle. The SiC/Al2O3/Ti along with eggshell are selected asreinforcement materials. The main effect of the reinforcement is to improve mechanical properties, like hardness, impact strength and strength. The results revealed that the process parameters significantly affect the mechanical properties of friction stir processed surface composites.


Author(s):  
Sipokazi Mabuwa ◽  
Velaphi Msomi

The use of aluminium alloys continues to grow in many applications to mention a few aerospace, automotive, electronics, electricity, construction and food packaging. With so much demand there is a new interest in welding of dissimilar aluminium alloys. Some of the welding techniques used to join dissimilar aluminium alloys include friction stir welding and TIG welding. The welding of dissimilar alloys affects the mechanical properties negatively due to porosity and cracking during the welding. This then suggests that there should be a process which can be used to improve the dissimilar alloys mechanical properties post its production. Friction stir processing was found to be one of the mechanical techniques that could be used to improve the mechanical properties of the material. This paper reports on the literature on the friction stir welding, TIG welding and friction stir processing techniques published so far, with the aim to identify the gap in the use of friction stir process as a post processing technique of the weld joints.


Metals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sipokazi Mabuwa ◽  
Velaphi Msomi

There is an increase in reducing the weight of structures through the use of aluminium alloys in different industries like aerospace, automotive, etc. This growing interest will lead towards using dissimilar aluminium alloys which will require welding. Currently, tungsten inert gas welding and friction stir welding are the well-known techniques suitable for joining dissimilar aluminium alloys. The welding of dissimilar alloys has its own dynamics which impact on the quality of the weld. This then suggests that there should be a process which can be used to improve the welds of dissimilar alloys post their production. Friction stir processing is viewed as one of the techniques that could be used to improve the mechanical properties of a material. This paper reports on the status and the advancement of friction stir welding, tungsten inert gas welding and the friction stir processing technique. It further looks at the variation use of friction stir processing on tungsten inert gas and friction stir welded joints with the purpose of identifying the knowledge gap.


Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 3215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abbas Tamadon ◽  
Dirk J. Pons ◽  
Don Clucas ◽  
Kamil Sued

One of the difficulties with bobbin friction stir welding (BFSW) has been the visualisation of microstructure, particularly grain boundaries, and this is especially problematic for materials with fine grain structure, such as AA6082-T6 aluminium as here. Welds of this material were examined using optical microscopy (OM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Results show that the grain structures that form depend on a complex set of factors. The motion of the pin and shoulder features transports material around the weld, which induces shear. The shear deformation around the pin is non-uniform with a thermal and strain gradient across the weld, and hence the dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) processes are also variable, giving a range of observed polycrystalline and grain boundary structures. Partial DRX was observed at both hourglass boundaries, and full DRX at mid-stirring zone. The grain boundary mapping showed the formation of low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) at regions of high shear as a consequence of thermomechanical nature of the process.


2013 ◽  
Vol 745-746 ◽  
pp. 33-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shi Jie Zhu ◽  
Li Guo Wang ◽  
Jin Jin ◽  
Jing Wang ◽  
Yu Feng Sun ◽  
...  

In order to improve the mechanical properties and processing performance of the Mg alloys, and to prevent magnesium alloy from non-uniform corrosion and too fast degradation in the degradation process, the biological medical Mg-Zn-Y-Nd alloy was modified by the friction stir processing (FSP) technique in this paper. The microstructural evolution and phase constitute of the stir zone of Mg-Zn-Y-Nd alloy were investigated, the microhardness and the corrosion properties of the alloy after FSP process was studied. The results showed that the FSP parameters had significant influence on the stir zone and thermo-mechanically affected zone. The stir zone experienced severe plastic deformation and complete dynamic recrystallization after FSP. The stir zone consists of fine equiaxed recystallized grains, and thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) has deformed grain structure. The second phase distributed along grain boundaries in as-cast state was broken during the FSP and transformed into fine, uniform and dispersed particles in the grains. After FSP, the size of grains was reduced from 50μm (as-cast alloy) to 1-2μm. However, the second phase constitution didnt change. The alloy obtained good comprehensive mechanical properties after FSP. The microhardness of alloy after FSP increased from 39HV (as-cast alloy) to 64HV(FSPed alloy). The results of electrochemical tests in simulated body fluid showed that the corrosion potential of FSP alloy increased and corrosion current density decreased, which confirmed the uniform corrosion of FSPed alloy.


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