Friction Stir Welding

Abstract

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid-state joining process which is a relatively newer technique but has found multiple utility in various industries across the world. By employing FSW, several issues that conventional fusion welding poses, viz. distortion, low efficiency, greater heat-affected zone (HAZ), etc., can be avoided. FSW in fact for some metals gives joint efficiencies near about 100%. FSW has been highly suitable for welding metals, viz. aluminum and magnesium, which have been previously found to be highly challenging to be welded by conventional welding techniques. For this reason, FSW has been embraced by aerospace and marine industries which require welding of large aluminum panels. Joining of dissimilar metals is one of the interesting aspects that FSW is found to handle quite easily as joining occurs much below the actual melting temperature of the metals. Research is also underway for welding metals having high melting points (steel and titanium-based alloys) using FSW in an efficient manner. FSW however involves higher setup costs and thus still out of the reach of many small-scale industries which refrain from higher initial investment. Thus, cost-effective solutions to tackle this issue are continuously explored by engineers and researchers. With a concerted effort, it is likely that the true potential of FSW technique would unfold, and it’s benefits reaped by industries worldwide.