Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Impact of pinless stirring tools with different shoulder profile designs on friction stir spot welded joints

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Friction stir welding is commonly used to join metals because it is environmentally friendly and provides higher fatigue strength than electric resistance spot welding, riveted connections, and screw connections. Alternative methods that do not reduce the fatigue strength, such as friction stir spot welding (FSSW), are being investigated. However, several studies have proven that FSSW joints are not sufficiently qualified for industrial usage. Defects such as keyholes, cavities, and cracks that form during classic FSSW with a screw stirring tool have not yet been eliminated. Some studies have demonstrated that the geometry of the stirring tool and the shoulder profile affect the quality of the joint. In this study, five pinless stirring tools with different shoulder profiles were designed to avoid the formation of cavities and cracks. The effect of the stirring tool on the mechanical properties and macro- and microstructural material properties during the joining process were examined.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. Sudağ, Joining of the Aluminium alloy sheets with friction stir spot welding and investigation of their strength properties, M.Sc. Thesis (ID No.: 705.03.014), Department of Education of Industrial Technology, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  2. M. Kulekci and O. Er, Determination of optimum welding parameter levels for friction stir spot welded WN AW 5005 (AlMgl) aluminium alloy, J. Fac. Eng. Archit. Gazi Univ., 27 (3) (2012) 537–545.

    Google Scholar 

  3. M. K. Külekçi, Magnesium and its alloy applications in automotive industry, Int. J. Adv. Des. Manuf. Technol., 39 (2008) 851–865.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. X. W. Yang et al., Friction stir spot welding: A review on joint macro-and microstructure, property, and process modelling, Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng. (2014) 697170.

  5. M. Külekci et al., Experimental comparison of MIG and friction stir welding processes for EN AW-6061-T6 (Al Mg-1 Si Cu) aluminium alloy, Arabian J. Sci. Eng., 35 (1B) (2010) 321–330.

    Google Scholar 

  6. A. Şık, A study into the properties of aluminium alloy plates were welded with friction stir welding, Sakarya University Journal of Science (SAUJS), 9 (2) (2005) 12–17.

    Google Scholar 

  7. A. Şık and Ö. Kayabaş, Examination of mechanical properties of welding zone in aluminium alloy produced by using friction stir welding, Gazi Univ. J. Ind. Arts Ed. Fac., 11 (12) (2003) 30–43.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Y. Tozaki et al., A newly developed tool without probe for friction stir spot welding and its performance, J. Mater. Process. Technol., 210 (6–7) (2010) 844–851.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Y. Uematsu et al., Effect of re-filling probe hole on tensile failure and fatigue behaviour of friction stir spot welded joints in Al-Mg-Si alloy, Int. J. Fatigue, 30 (2008) 1956–1966.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. C. Rajendran, K. Srinivasan, V. Balasubramanian, H. Balaji and P. Selvaraj, Evaluation of load-carrying capabilities of friction stir welded, TIG welded and riveted joints of AA2014-T6 aluminium alloy, Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, 91 (9) (2019) 1238–1244.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Y. Zhao et al., The influence of pin geometry on bonding and mechanical properties in friction stir weld 2014 Al alloy, Mater. Lett., 59 (23) (2005) 2948–2952.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. M. Boz and A. Kurt, The influence of stirrer geometry on bonding and mechanical properties in friction stir welding process, Mater. Des., 25 (4) (2004) 343–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. A. Şık, Examination of mechanical properties of magnesium plates joined by friction stir welding, SAÜ Fen. Bilimleri Dergisi, 14 (2) (2010) 134–140.

    Google Scholar 

  14. S. Mert and S. Mert, Investigation of friction stir spot welding method, J. Adv. Technol. Sci., 2 (1) (203) 26–35.

  15. M. K. Külekci et al., Effects of tool rotation and pin diameter on fatigue properties of friction stir welded lap joints, Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol., 36 (9–10) (2008) 877–882.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. N. Özdemir et al., Effect of tool profile, rotational speed and welding speed on the mechanical behaviour of friction stir welded AA1030 aluminium alloy, J. Fırat Univ., 19 (4) (2007) 575–582.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. C. Rajendran, K. Srinivasan, V. Balasubramanian, H. Balaji and P. Selvaraj, Effect of tool tilt angle on strength and microstructural characteristics of friction stir welded lap joints of AA2014-T6 aluminum alloy, Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 9 (29) (2019) 1824–1835.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. C. Rajendran, K. Srinivasan, V. Balasubramanian, H. Balaji and P. Selvaraj, Identifying combination of friction stir welding parameters to maximize strength of lap joints of AA2014-T6 aluminium alloy, Australian Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 17 (2) (2019).

  19. M. Türker and M. Tosun, Modern welding technologies in aviation industry, Proceedings of X. Welding Technology National Congress and Exhibition, TMMOB Chamber of Mechanical Engineers, Ankara, Turkey (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  20. X. Cao et al., Tensile strength of friction stir spot welded dissimilar AA5754-to-AZ31B alloys, 9th International Conference on Trends in Welding Research, 4–8 2012, ASM International, Chicago, IL (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  21. E. Kaluç and E. Taban, A new method alternative to resistance point source in automotive industry: Point welding by friction tool (FSSW), Welding Technology VI. National Congress and Exhibition Proceedings Book No. E/2007/449, TMMOB Chamber of Mechanical Engineers, Ankara, Turkey (2007) 51–62.

    Google Scholar 

  22. D. Bakavos et al., Material interactions in a novel pinless tool approach to friction stir spot welding thin aluminum sheet, Metall. Mater. Trans., A 42A (2011) 1266–1282.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Á. Meilinger and I. Török, The importance of friction stir welding tool, Prod. Process. Syst., 6 (1) (2013) 25–34.

    Google Scholar 

  24. E. Taban and E. Kaluç, Mechanical and microstructural properties of MIG, TIG and friction element joining (FSW) welded joints of EN AW-5083-H321 aluminum alloy, Engineer and Mechanical Journal, TMMOB Chamber of Mechanical Engineers, 46 (541) (2005) 40–51.

    Google Scholar 

  25. A. K. Jassim and R. K. Al-Subar, Studying the possibility to weld AA1100 aluminum alloy by friction stir spot welding, Int. J. Mater. Metall. Eng., 11 (9) (2017) 635–641.

    Google Scholar 

  26. ASTM B 107/B 107M-07, Standard Specification for Magnesium-alloy Extruded Bars, Rods, Profiles, Tubes, and Wire, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA (2010).

  27. S. Ugendera et al., Microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ31B magnesium alloy by friction stir welding, Procedia Mater. Sci., 6 (2014) 1600–1609.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. L. Afrin et al., Microstructure and tensile properties of friction stir welded AZ31B magnesium alloy, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 472 (1–2) (2008) 179–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Q. Chu et al., Microstructure and mechanical behaviour of pinless friction stir spot welded AA2198 joints, Sci. Technol. Weld. Joining, 21 (3) (2016) 164–170.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  30. M. Simoncini et al., Micro-and macro-mechanical properties of pinless friction stir welded joints in AA5754 aluminium thin sheets, Procedia CIRP, 18 (2014) 9–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. D. Klobčar et al., Parametric study of FSSW of aluminium alloy 5754 using a pinless tool, Weld. World, 59 (2) (2015) 269–281.

    Google Scholar 

  32. T. Li and Z. Wang, Microstructure evolution and shaping of friction stir lap welded dissimilar magnesium alloy joint, Open Mater. Sci. J., 12 (9) (2015) 71–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Product Design, Faculty of Architecture, Gazi University, Eti Mah. Yükseliş Sk. No. 5, Ankara, 06570, Turkey

    Ahmet Atak

Authors
  1. Ahmet Atak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ahmet Atak.

Additional information

Ahmet Atak, Ph.D., Expert Researcher, completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in Mechanical Engineering at Ruhr-University in Bochum, Germany in 1992. After working as a mechanical engineer in various companies for about 22 years at the beginning of the year 2012 he did return to Turkey. He worked as a Specialist Researcher for five years at TÜBiTAK UZAY Research Institute. He is also finished his Ph.D. in Gazi University’s “Industrial Product Design” department and has been working as lecturer at TUSAS Kazan Vocational School of Gazi Universitiy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Atak, A. Impact of pinless stirring tools with different shoulder profile designs on friction stir spot welded joints. J Mech Sci Technol 34, 3735–3743 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0825-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0825-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation