Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Optimizing the tool pin with three flats in friction stir welding of aluminum alloy

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The role of tool pin profile is crucial in friction stir welding (FSW) process, but its optimization design still requires sufficient quantitative data and a comprehensive understanding of the thermomechanical behavior around the tool. The present work gives a systematic investigation of FSW process for tool pin with three flats by using a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model. The thermal response, material flow behavior, and welding loads are analyzed for tool pin with various proportion of the flat feature. The feasibility of the numerical model is verified by comparing the results with measured thermal cycle, macrostructure, tool torque, and traverse force for both tool pins with and without flat feature. Based on the numerical model, a methodology is proposed for the optimization design of tool pin profile with three flats by identifying different torque components on flat area, and also considering the material flow behavior and tool wear tendency. Furthermore, the proposed methodology is utilized for optimizing tool pin profile for a wide range of process parameters, and the precision of the optimization result is also discussed. The present approach provides an explicit solution for the computer-aided optimization design and reliability assessment of the tool pin profile in FSW.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Rai R, De A, Bhadeshia HKDH, DebRoy T (2011) Review: friction stir welding tools. Sci Technol Weld Join 16(4):325–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Zhang YN, Cao X, Larose S, Wanjara P (2012) Review of tools for friction stir welding processing. Can Metall Q 51(3):250–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Mishra RS, Ma ZY (2005) Friction stir welding and processing. Mater Sci Eng R 50(1-2):1–78

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Simar A, Avettand-Fenoel M (2017) State of the art about dissimilar metal friction stir welding. Sci Techonol Weld Joi 22(5):389–403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Garg A, Raturi M, Bhattacharya A (2019) Influence of additional heating in friction stir welding of dissimilar aluminum alloys with different tool pin profiles. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 105(1-4):155–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Tian W, Su H, Wu C (2020) Effect of ultrasonic vibration on thermal and material flow behavior, microstructure and mechanical properties of friction stir welded Al/Cu joints. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 107(1):59–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Zhao Y, Lin S, Wu L, Qu F (2005) The influence of pin geometry on bonding and mechanical properties in friction stir welded 2014 Al alloy. Mater Lett 59(23):2948–2952

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Zhao YH, Lin SB, Qu FX, Wu L (2006) Influence of pin geometry on material flow in friction stir welding process. Mater Sci Technol 22(1):45–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Lorrain O, Favier V, Zahrouni H, Lawrhaniec D (2010) Understanding the material flow path of friction stir welding process using unthreaded tools. J Mater Process Technol 210(4):603–609

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Elangovan K, Balasubramanian V (2007) Influence of pin profile and rotational speed of the tool on the formation of friction stir processing zone in AA2219 aluminium alloy. Mater Sci Eng A 459(1-2):7–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Trimble D, O’Donnell GE, Monahan J (2015) Characterisation of tool shape and rotational speed for increased speed during friction stir welding of AA2024-T3. J Manuf Process 17:141–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Su H, Wu C (2019) Determination of the traverse force in friction stir welding with different tool pin profiles. Sci Technol Weld Join 24(3):209–217

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Fujii H, Cui L, Maeda M, Nogi K (2006) Effect of tool shape on mechanical properties and microstructure of friction stir welded aluminum alloys. Mater Sci Eng A 419(1-2):25–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Dehghani M, Amadeh A, Akbari Mousavi SAA (2013) Investigations on the effects of friction stir welding parameters on intermetallic and defect formation in joining aluminum alloy to mild steel. Mater Design 49:433–441

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Ramachandran KK, Murugan N (2015) Shashi Kumar S. Effect of tool axis offset and geometry of tool pin profile on the characteristics of friction stir welded dissimilar joints of aluminum alloy AA5052 and HSLA steel. Mater Sci Eng A 639:219–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Mehta KP, Badheka VJ (2017) Influence of tool pin design on properties of dissimilar copper to aluminum friction stir welding. T Nonferr Metal Soc 27(1):36–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Buffa G, Hua J, Shivpuri R, Fratini L (2006) Design of the friction stir welding tool using the continuum based FEM model. Mater Sci Eng A 419(1-2):381–388

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Arora A, Mehta M, De A, DebRoy T (2012) Load bearing capacity of tool pin during friction stir welding. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 61(9-12):911–920

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Colegrove PA, Shercliff HR (2005) 3-Dimensional CFD modeling of flow round a threaded friction stir welding tool profile. J Mater Process Technol 169(2):320–327

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Colegrove PA, Shercliff HR (2004) Development of Trivex friction stir welding tool Part 2 – three dimensional flow modeling. Sci Technol Weld Join 9(4):352–361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Chen G, Li H, Wang G, Guo Z, Zhang S, Dai Q, Wang X, Zhang G, Shi Q (2018) Effect of pin thread on the in-process material flow behavior during friction stir welding: a computational fluid dynamics study. Int J Mach Tool Manu 124:12–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Sun Z, Wu CS (2018) A numerical model of pin thread effect on material flow and heat generation in shear layer during friction stir welding. J Manuf Process 36:10–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Sun Z, Wu CS (2020) Influence of tool thread pitch on material flow and thermal process in friction stir welding. J Mater Process Technol 275:116281

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Mehta M, De A, DebRoy T (2014) Material adhesion and stresses on friction stir welding tool pins. Sci Technol Weld Join 19(6):534–540

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Al Bhadle BMA, Al Azzawi RAA, Thornton R, Beamish K, Shi S, Dong HB (2019) Equations of heat generation during friction stir welding for tapered polygonal tools. Sci Technol Weld Join 24(2):93–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Su H, Wu CS, Bachmann M, Rethmeier M (2015) Numerical modeling for the effect of pin profiles on thermal and material flow characteristics in friction stir welding. Mater Design 77:114–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Tongne A, Desrayaud C, Jahazi M, Feulvarch E (2017) On material flow in friction stir welded Al alloys. J Mater Process Technol 239:284–296

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Su H, Wu CS, Pittner A, Rethmeier M (2013) Simultaneous measurement of tool torque, traverse force and axial force in friction stir welding. J Manuf Process 15(4):495–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Arora A, De A, DebRoy T (2011) Toward optimum friction stir welding tool shoulder diameter. Scr Mater 64(1):9–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Mehta M, Arora A, De A, DebRoy T (2011) Tool geometry for friction stir welding – optimum shoulder diameter. Metall Mater Trans A 42(9):2716–2722

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Archard JF (1953) Contact and rubbing of flat surfaces. J Appl Phys 24(8):981–988

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Sahlot P, Jha K, Dey GK, Arora A (2018) Wear-induced changes in FSW tool pin profile: effect of process parameters. Metall Mater Trans A 49(6):2139–2150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Emamian SS, Awang M, Yusof F, Sheikholeslam M, Mehrpouya M (2020) Improving the friction stir welding tool life for joining the metal matrix composites. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 106(10):3217–3227

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

This study is jointly supported by the Beijing Natural Science Foundation and Beijing Municipal Education Commission (KZ201810017022), and the National Science and Technology Major Project (2018ZX04044001-009). Also, this study is financially supported from the Fundamental Research Funds of Shandong University (2019GN003) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51475272, 51842507).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. MOE Key Lab for Liquid-Solid Structure Evolution and Materials Processing, Institute of Materials Joining, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China

    Hao Su & Chuansong Wu

  2. Beijing Institute of Petrochemical Technology, Beijing, 102617, China

    Hao Su & Long Xue

Authors
  1. Hao Su
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Long Xue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chuansong Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Hao Su or Long Xue.

Additional information

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Su, H., Xue, L. & Wu, C. Optimizing the tool pin with three flats in friction stir welding of aluminum alloy. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 108, 721–733 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-020-05479-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-020-05479-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation