Study of optimum welding performance in friction stir welding of dissimilar Mg alloys using integrated RSM-TLBO algorithm

Abstract

Lightweight with excellent strength of magnesium alloys has attracted its use in transportation industries but difficulty in fusion welding of magnesium alloys restricts its application. The present research investigates solid state friction stir welding of dissimilar AZ31-AZ91 magnesium alloys with aim to achieve optimum quality welds. Surface roughness, microstructure and mechanical properties of these joints have been investigated at different tool rotational speed, welding speed and tool shoulder diameter. Maximum joint strength obtained is 89.71% (as compare to AZ31) which is more than the previously reported joint strengths of dissimilar magnesium alloys. Further, mathematical relations for responses have been developed and utilised for multi-objective optimization using teaching-learning-based optimization algorithm. Eventually, teaching-learning-based optimization algorithm results suggest that the optimum value of surface roughness (3.3925 µm), grain size (12.6869 µm), tensile strength (237.9621 MPa), microhardness (69.3652 Hv) and flexural strength (333.2285 MPa) can be achieved at 921 rpm rotational speed, 30 mm/min welding speed and 15 mm shoulder diameter with overall improvement in multiple responses.