INFLUENCE OF PROCESS PARAMETERS ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FRICTION STIR WELDED AA 6061-T6 ALLOY AND MG AZ31B ALLOY

Abstract

The present study investigates the influence of tool pin profiles on microstructure and mechanical properties of friction stir welded AA 6061-T6 Alloy was studied. An attempt is made here to review the fundamental principle of this process its tensile strength and examination of its metallurgical consequences. An improved milling machine is fabricated for performing friction stir welding and its effectiveness in joining Al 6061-T6 Alloy plates is demonstrated in the current work. The FSW Process has proved to be very efficient and has immense potential for future application. Present investigation is to find out the optimum mechanical properties of friction stir welding of Al 6061-T6 alloy &Mg AZ31B alloy. In this present study an attempt has been made to study the effect of tool rotational speed, traversing speed and tool pin profiles (Taper Thread profile) on FSW zone transformation in Al and Mg alloys. For three different tools, rotational speeds, three different traversing speeds, and three different tool D/d ratios, one tool pin profile have been used to fabricate the joints. The formation of FSW of Al 6061 of fusion zone has been evaluated and correlated with base metal. Tensile properties, toughness and microstructure of the joint were evaluated and correlated as received Al 6061-T6 & Mg AZ31B alloys. The joints fabricated using rotational speed of 1120rpm, a welding speed of 40 mm/min, taper thread pin profile, tool shoulder diameter of 18 mm, (D/d)=3.0 showed higher tensile properties compared to other joints.