Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Welding of AA1050

Abstract

In this study, a sustainable manufacturing process – friction stir welding (FSW) was used to join 3 mm thick AA1050 plates in butt joint configuration. The process was conducted at a traverse speed of 50 mm/min and rotational speed of 800 rpm. The weld sample’s microstructural and mechanical properties were evaluated. The microstructural analysis was conducted with an optical microscope. The mechanical properties investigation includes tensile and microhardness tests. The microstructural analysis show a defect-free sound joint of the materials with absence of kissing bond. The mechanical evaluations revealed that the hardness property of the weld sample was not significantly affected by the welding process, but the tensile properties were slightly reduced. However, an acceptable joint efficiency of 94% was obtained, showing that FSW is a suitable sustainable welding process for joining of similar AA1050 alloys.