The main purpose of the present work is to study the effect of tool pin profiles on mechanical properties of welded plates made with two different aluminium alloy plates.
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of the present work is to study the effect of tool pin profiles on mechanical properties of welded plates made with two different aluminium alloy plates.
Design/methodology/approach
The welded plates were fabricated with the three different kinds of pin profiled tools such as taper cylindrical, taper threaded cylindrical and stepped cylindrical pin profiles. Tensile properties of welded plates were evaluated using tensile testing machine at room temperature. Microstructures studies were carried out using scanning electron microscope.
Findings
Tensile properties were improved with the use of taper threaded cylindrical pin tool in friction stir welding process when compared with taper cylindrical and stepped cylindrical pin tools. This is due to refinement of grains and mixing of plasticized material occurred with generation of sufficient heat with the taper threaded pin tool. Through these studies, it was confirmed that friction stir welding can be used to weld Al6061 and Al2014 aluminium alloy plates.
Research limitations/implications
In the present study, the friction stir welding is performed with constant process parameters such as tool rotational speed of 900 rpm, transverse speed of 24 mm/min and tilt angle of 1°.
Practical implications
Aluminium alloys are widely using in automotive and aerospace industries due to holding a high strength to weight property. These aluminium alloy blanks can be developed with friction stir welding method with better properties.
Originality/value
Very limited work had been carried out on friction stir welding of aluminium alloys of Al 6061 and Al2014 with different tool pin profiles. Furthermore, this work analyzed with tensile properties of welded plates correlated with weld zone microstructures.
Details
Keywords
The main purpose of the present work is to study the multi response optimization of dissimilar friction stir welding (FSW) process parameters using Taguchi-based grey relational…
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of the present work is to study the multi response optimization of dissimilar friction stir welding (FSW) process parameters using Taguchi-based grey relational analysis and desirability function approach (DFA).
Design/methodology/approach
The welded sheets were fabricated as per Taguchi orthogonal array design. The effects of tool rotational speed, transverse speed and tool tilt angle process parameters on ultimate tensile strength and hardness were analyzed using grey relational analysis, and DFA and optimum parameters combination was determined.
Findings
The tensile strength and hardness values were evaluated from the welded joints. The optimum values of process parameters were estimated through grey relational analysis and DFA methods. Similar kind of optimum levels of process parameters were obtained through two optimization approaches as tool rotational speed of 1150 rpm, transverse speed of 24 mm/min and tool tilt angle of 2° are the best process parameters combination for maximizing both the tensile strength and hardness. Through these studies, it was confirmed that grey relational analysis and DFA methods can be used to find the multi response optimum values of FSW process parameters.
Research limitations/implications
In the present study, the FSW is performed with L9 orthogonal array design with three process parameters such as tool rotational speed, transverse speed and tilt angle and three levels.
Practical implications
Aluminium alloys are widely using in automotive and aerospace industries due to holding a high strength to weight property.
Originality/value
Very limited work had been carried out on multi objective optimization techniques such as grey relational analysis and DFA on friction stir welded joints made with dissimilar aluminium alloys sheets.