What is friction stir welding?

• It is a solid-state joining process (the metal is not melted).

• Friction Stir Welding transforms the metals from a solid state into a plastic
state, and then mechanically stirs the materials together under pressure
to form a welded joint
• In the process a rotating FSW tool is plunged between two clamped
plates. The frictional heat causes a plasticised zone to form around the
tool. The rotating tool moves along the joint line. A consolidated solid-
phase joint is formed.
• No filler metal is required.
Advantage over arc welding

• High quality weld can be achieved.

with absence of solidification cracking

porosity
oxidation
Other defect resulting from traditional fusion welding

• lower apparent energy input of FSW

less distortion and residual stress
Tool geometry
• Optimum tool design will produce the desired joint quality as
well as enable higher welding speed and longer life.

• The shape of the bottom of the tool shoulder effects material

flow around the tool nib.

 can be flat or concacve

 smooth or grooved with concentric or spiral grooves
• A concave shoulder has the advantage compared with the flat
bottom
 directing material flow to the center close the tool nib.
 Tool shoulder material and backing material

• Tool shoulder play an important role in the heat generation

process of FS welding.

• Compared to tool steel the shoulder made from zirconia engg

ceramics seems to generate approx 30 to 70% more heat
depending on the welding parameters.

• The welding efficency is affected by the heat loss through

tool.
• Heat generation depend on the two parameters i.e force and
rpm
 Tool shoulder material

Using a tool material having low thermal conductivity

 heat loss can be substantially reduced
 This will enable increasing welding speed
 As increase in welding speed a similar increase in
rotational speed to get the good welding.
Heat generation
• Heat generation is a FSW process increase with
increasing tool rotation speed and tool downward force.
• Travel speed influences
 rate of heat input
 Affecting metal flow around the tool nib.
• Other parameters are
 shoulder radius
 shoulder angle of the FSW tool
• Time of indentation i.e the period between the instant
tool contact the work piece and the instant the tool
begin moving along the joint.
• can range usually from 5 to 30s.
 Microstructure zone found in FSW

Region Material flow Temperature

Weld nugget high high

Thermo – mechanically low medium

affected zone TMAZ
Heat affected zone none medium
 Why we use tungsten?
• Friction stir welding (FSW) of hard metals such as steel and titanium
requires unique tool materials capable of achieving long linear lengths
while minimizing tool degradation. Tungsten-based materials have
demonstrated success as a FSW tool material in resisting degradation
while maximizing tool life.

Tool material properties:

• Tungsten are very efficient as a tool, because other metal doesn’t have
such good heat resistance.
• Highest melting point among all the metal
• Suitable for very high temperature application.
• Low coefficient of thermal expansion
• High level of dimensional stability