Temperature Distribution Modeling of Friction Stir Spot Welding of AA 6061‐T6 Using Finite Element Technique

Abstract

Friction stir welding (FSW), a process that involves joining of metals without fusion of filler materials. It is used already in routine, as well as critical application for the joining of structural components made of Aluminum and its alloys. Indeed it has been convincingly demonstrated that the process results in strong and ductile joints, some times in systems, which have proved difficult using conventional welding techniques. The process is most suitable for components that are flat & long (plates & sheets) but it can be adapted for pipes, hollow sections and positional welding. The welds are created by the combined action of frictional heating and mechanical deformation, due to a rotating tool. Recently, a new technology called friction stir spot welding (FSSW) has been developed that has a several advantages over the electric resistance welding process widely used in automotive industry in terms of weld quality and process efficiency. This welding technology involves a process similar to FSW, except that, instead of moving the tool along the weld seam, the tool only indents the parts, which are placed on top of each other. The conditions under which the deposition process in FSSW is successful are not fully understood. However, it is known that only under specific thermo‐mechanical conditions does a weld formation occur. The objective of the present work is to analyze the primary conditions under which the cavity behind the tool is filled. For this, a fully coupled thermo‐mechanical three‐dimensional FE model has been developed in ABAQUS/Explicit using the adaptive meshing scheme and the Johnson‐Cook material law. The contact forces are modeled by Coulomb’s law of friction, making the contact condition highly solution dependent. Temperature graph in the radial direction as well as stress, strain plots are presented.