FRICTION STIR WELDING

OF
ALUMINIUM
 CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Properties, which makes Aluminium different
• Advantages of FSW
• Working principle of FSP
• Process (FSW)
• Applications
• Conclusion and Future scope
 PROCESS
• Friction Stir Welding transforms
the metals from a solid state
into a "plastic-like" state, and
then mechanically stirs the
materials together under
pressure to form a welded joint.

Instead of a conventional welding torch, FSW uses a rotating, non-consumable tool

that is moved along the length of the joint
 OPERATION
When tool descended to the part, the rotating pin contacts the
surface, rapidly friction produced between tool pin and metal surface
heats and softens a small column of metal
Rotating tool provides:

Continuous heating of work piece

Plasticizing metal

Transporting metal from the leading face of the pin to its trailing
edge
• When the shoulder contacts the metal surface, its
rotation creates additional frictional heat and
plasticizes a larger cylindrical metal column around
the inserted pin
• The shoulder additionally provides a forging force that
contains the upward metal flow caused by the tool pin
• During FSP, work piece and the tool are moved relative
to each other such that the tool traverses, with
overlapping passes, until the required area is processed
• The processed zone cools, without solidification, as
there is no liquid, forming a defect-free recrystallized,
fine grain microstructure
 APPLICATIONS
• FSW used for welding long length materials in
 Aerospace

 Shipbuilding
• Some of the parts are
 Fuel tanks for space launch vehicles

 Roofing for railway carriages

 Bodies and floors for coaches, buses

 Wings and fuselage panels of aircraft

 Wheel assemblies

 Connectors
CONCLUSION & FUTURE SCOPE
• FSW is the best process to welding Aluminium for long lengths
with an excellent quality

• Considerable effort is being made to weld higher temperature

materials such as titanium and steels by using FSW

• Take the process beyond its current use of mainly simple butt and
lap joint configurations and make it a much more flexible
fabrication process