EFFECT OF WELDING PARAMETERS ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FRICTION STIR LAP WELDED JOINTS FOR SIMILAR ALUMINUM ALLOYS (AA1100-H112 & AA6061-T6)

Abstract

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid state welding used for joining similar and dissimilar aluminum alloys which are hard to weld by conventional fusion welding processes. In this study friction stir lap welding (FSLW) Joints are made for similar aluminum alloys (AA1100 to AA1100) and(AA6061to AA6061) sheets of 3mm thickness and those alloys have low to medium strength and have difference in melting temperature and other physical properties.FSLW processes were carried out by conventional technique. The friction stir lap welding of similar aluminum alloys was carried out by varying the welding parameters, such as tool rotation speeds (1000, 1250 and 1600pm) and travel speeds (35, 75 and 100mm) and pin length of ( 5.4 mm) with using cylindrical threaded pin geometry or profile. Many tests and inspections were performed such as X-Ray radiographic and tensile shear test .Microhardness and microstructure observations by using optical and SEM were carried out at the best welding parameters. The above tests were used to evaluate the weld quality and joint efficiency under different welding parameters. The best welding parameters appeared in FSLW were 1250rpm and travel speed 100 mm/min. It was found that higher hardness value was (94.38HV) for 6061-T6 and 49HV for 1100-H112 in stir zone for both FSLW joints of AA6061-T6 and AA1100-H112 and that decrease toward the HAZ and base metals of AA1100 and AA6061.