Investigation of tool forces, weld bead micro-hardness and surface roughness during friction stir welding of Aluminium 6063 alloy

Abstract

ABSTRACT From last decade, Friction Stir Welding (FSW) process finds increasing applications in industry as the process is environment-friendly and offers inherent advantages in mechanical and metallurgical properties of welded joints. FSW employs a non-consumable rotating tool, which generates frictional heat and plastic deformation at the welding location while the material is in solid state. In this paper, mechanical behaviour of Aluminium 6063 alloy (AA6063) FSW joints in terms of tool forces, weld bead micro-hardness and surface roughness was investigated varying the welding parameters, namely the welding speed and feed which were varied in the range of 385–960 rpm and 18–45 mm/min, respectively. It has been observed that tool forces and hence, the surface roughness decreases with increase in welding speed and feed. Lower tool forces at higher values of welding speed and feed can be attributed to increase in temperature at weld bead resulted in softening of the material at higher welding parameters. Micro-hardness of the weld bead has been observed little affected within the domain of the weld parameters selected in the present study.