Literature reports on FSW process and the underlying physics

Authors and year Experimentation Observations

Major process governing parameters in FSW process are tool rotational speed, transverse
FSW welding of SiC particle reinforced welding speed and axial force. Other metal parameters include tool material, type of workpiece
Mishra and Ma composites material, tool geometry
Lee et al. Investigations of FSW of MMC’s Frequent problem arises with the rate of wear of the tool
• There is a substantial grain refinement of the particles in matrix due to dynamic recrystallization
caused by frictional heat and intense plastic deformation occurs during welding as observed from
microstructural images
Investigations of FSW of MMC’s (10 • Smaller particle fine grains are formed due to stirring and abrasive action made by the tool
vol.% of Al2O3 reinforced AA7005 metal • Tensile strength results showed a high performance of FSW weld joint, typically about 70– 80%
Ceschini et al. matrix composites) of ultimate tensile strength (UTS)
• Tool wear profile of the threaded cylindrical steel tools gradually declines with increasing
welding speeds and decreasing tool rotational speeds
• The threaded tool wears away to a self-optimized shape similar to a pseudo-hour glass at weld
traverse distances in surplus of 3 m lower than 10% tool wear
• The comparison made among the 25% difference for threaded tools wearing considerably start
of the welding and 7% diminution in the SiC mean particle size in the weld region for self-
optimized pin tools with no threads
Investigations on friction stir welding of • The recrystallized grain size diminution and the SiC particles distribution caused the improved
Fernandez and Murr20% SiC reinforced AA359 MMC’s hardness of 30% at the weld region compared to parent material
• Investigated the various texture • Appearance of bands in the advancing-side material
patterns in friction stir welding (FSW) • The onion rings formation was seen in the banded pattern on the transverse cross section. The
using different cross sections equal spacing among the bands on the horizontal and longitudinal cross sections with the
• The text patterns were investigated by distance passed through by the welding tool
using the numerical simulations of the • The texture patterns may be produced due to regular interval spaced material zones occuring
Xu and Deng FSW process at various levels of plastic deformation at the stage of the FSW process
• Stir zone (SZ), thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and base metal (BM) were observed
from the microstructures contained in the weld region
• The hypoeutectic Al/Si dendrite structure was displayed by the BM
• Even dispersion of the eutectic Si particles was seen in primary Al solid solution
• Subsequent to the deformation of the original microstructure, TMAZ is studied in dispersed
• Investigated the joint behaviours of eutectic Si particles arranged in a line along the rotational direction of the welding tool. These
friction stir welded specimen (A356 zones are produced at the upper zone and advancing side of the retreating side.
alloys) • The mechanical properties of the weld region are significantly enhanced in contrast to that of
• In particular, about the enhancement of the BM
mechanical properties at the weld region • The degree of formation of Al4C3 compounds is directly proportional to the peak weld
Storjohann et al. was studied for different FSW speeds temperatures
• FSW process tends to plasticize and deform the material around the rotating tool because of
frictional heat generated between tooltip and workpieces
• Both plasticization and deformation enhance the temperature in and around the stir zone (SZ)
• The temperature distribution directly influences the particle grain sizes and distribution,
Rhodes • Investigated temperature distribution in microstructures, coarsening and dissolution of precipitates, and mechanical properties in the stir
et al., Liu et al. FSW specimens zone
• Understanding from microstructural behaviour or by employing thermocouple was found to be
• Studied various methods for suitable.
temperature measurements in FSW • High temperatures and excessive plastic deformation in and around the stir zone results in
Mahoney et al. Process dynamic recrystallization
• Tensile results reveal relatively good resistance to the mechanical loadings associated with it
• Investigated FSW joints of fabricated • Corrosion resistance testing on AA2024 reveals that the joints are prone to the formation of
Liu aluminium alloys AA2024 and AA6013 exfoliation and intergranular corrosion

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Literature pertaining to the influence of weld materials on weld efficiency and performance
Authors and year Experimentation
• FSW of aluminium metal matrix
Mahoney et al. composites SiC/AA6092
• FSW of aluminium metal matrix
Prado et al., Nakata et al. composites Al2O3/AA6061
• FSW of aluminium metal matrix
Nelson et al. composites B4C/AA6061
• FSW of aluminium metal matrix
Murrr et al. composites SiC/AA339
• FSW of aluminium metal matrix
Sharma et al. composites SiC/AA7093
• FSW of aluminium metal matrix
Nandan et al. composites SiC/AA7093
Observations Common inference/ images and equations
• FSW was feasible for the composite • There is no evidence of occurrence of any chemical reactivity
between matrix metal and reinforcements are observed
• FSW was feasible for the composite • Distribution of ceramic reinforcement particles in friction stir welded
joints is uniform
• FSW was feasible for the composite • Size and distribution of reinforcement particles in weld nugget zone
is similar to that of base composite
• In some samples, it is also observed that the presence of
• FSW was feasible for the composite breakdown of reinforcement particles in the weld nugget region and
particles are relatively smaller in weld nugget when compared to the
• FSW was feasible for the composite base composite
• Revealed the presence of more number of SiC particles per given unit area
• However, volume percentage of the SiC particles remains to be same in both the
regions (base and nugget)
• This represents the breakdown of larger particles into smaller ones due to FSW tool
stirring action
• The movement of particles constrained by the grain boundaries allows larger
particles knocked down to smaller ones rather than dispersing when subjected under
stirring action
• The joints exhibit greater mechanical strength and performance over the GMAW
welded composite joints. The tensile strength results of FSW composite joints are
significantly higher than that of GTA welded composites. Also, yield strength of the
FS welded joint is improved NA
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Literature reports pertaining to the process parametric effects on friction stir weldments
Authors and year Experimentation Observations
The tensile strength of FS welded AA6351 aluminium alloy joint
improves with the increase in tool rotational speed, transverse
• Effect of tool rotational speed on the tensile welding speed and axial force
Ceschini et al. and strength of FSW joints made of AA6061/20 • Ultimate tensile strength (UTM) reaches the maximum value at
Palanivel et al. vol.% Al2O3p certain level of process parameters and then gradually decreases
• The sizes of reinforcement particles remain same for all the tool
rotational speeds
• Investigated the sizes of Si reinforcement • In addition to the welding speed, the tool rotational speed also
Kim et al. particles in different weld regions affects the plasticization and heat energy supplied to the weld region
• Investigated friction stir welding of Al/Mg2Si • Upto a threshold value of rotational speed the tensile strength
Nami et al. composites increaases beyond which it starts declining
• Investigated the microstructures of FSW
Storjohann et al. joints of Al-MMC’s • Alignment of SiC whiskers is in the weld line direction
• For lower welding speed is inversely proportional to the tensile
strength
• Investigated the effects of welding speeds • The tensile strength of AA6061 alloys gradually increases with
on the mechanical strength of FSW of increasing welding speed until certain level and then joint strength
Elangovan et al. AA60601 decreases substantially
• Established the relationships between mechanical properties like
• Examined friction stir welded AA6082 joints tensile strength, percentage of elongation, and yield strength and
Cavaliere et al. for their mechanical strength welding travel speed