• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.534-537
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• 2002

In the various industry such as shipbuilding and automobile, etc., Al-alloys are used to reduce weight and improve economical efficiency, and they are mainly utilized in the process of Friction Stir Welding (FSW). A number of studies have been carried out on the metallurgical characteristics of friction stir welding In Al-alloys. However, research on the thermal behavior of FSW by using numerical analysis is not sufficient in the domestic and abroad. In this paper, therefore, numerical simulation was used to find out thermal behaviour of FSW by finite element method. We considered heat source that occurred by friction between tool shoulder including pin and base metal. To confirm the result of simulation, macrostructure is examined and compared after welding. The result of numerical simulation shows that Al-alloy is welded under a melting point of Al around pin by FSW.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.1-5
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• 2016

At present, FSW(friction stir welding) process is being considered as an actual way for production of various industrial products. However FSW process involves high temperature and load on the tool during welding. These are make a difference between FSW machine and general machine tools. From this reason, development of FSW machine needs very careful consideration on stiffness of machine structure, spindle and moving axis including machine control system. In this study authors investigate on the trends of technology development of FSW machine in order to share the information for more extension of FSW technology with related researchers and engineers.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.67-73
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• 2002

In an attempt to evaluate the feasibility of friction stir welding(FSW) for joining carbon steels, microstructures and mechanical properties of friction stir welded carbon steels with different grain structures were investigated. In comparison of O-type stir zone(SZ) appeared in various aluminium alloys, configuration of SZ in friction stir welded carbon steels displayed U-type. Plastically deformed pearlite band structure was identified to surround the SZ, indicating the existence of so-called thermo-mechanically affected zone(TMAZ). However, the TMAZ of carbon steels was much narrower than that of Al alloys. The microstructures of both stir zone and TMAZ revealed bainite matrix in a conventional carbon steel for shipbuilding, while, in the same region, ferrite matrix microstructures were formed in a low carbon fine grained steel. The conventional carbon steel showed superior stirring workability to that of the fine grained carbon steel. The yield and tensile strength of the friction stir welded joints were comparable to those of the base metals, and the elongation in welded joints demonstrated excellent ductility. Absorbed energy in SZ of the fine grained carbon steel was ten times higher than that obtained from conventional submerged arc weld metal of the same steel. Based on these results, the application FSW to carbon steels was found to be feasible.

• International Journal of Korean Welding Society
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.62-66
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• 2002

The Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a new joining method that was developed at The Welding Institute (TWI) in England in 1991. It applied heating by the rotational friction and material plastic flow. It was developed as a new joining method to solve the problems of epochally in the welding of Al alloys. In the study, 6000series of Alloy composed of Al-Mg-Si, one of the Al alloys that are utilized for shipbuilding and construction, is selected as a specimen and the numerical is executed against the welded zone of FSW. The material used in this study had the unique properties of strength and anti-corrosion, but since the welded joint of this material is easily softened by the welding heat, FSW is executed and the numerical analysis is carried out around the joint. To examine the mechanical behaviors and properties, F.E.M analysis is executed and the developed thermal-elastic-plastic finite analysis are used.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.37-44
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• 2013

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid state joining technique that has expanded rapidly since its development in 1991 and has numerous applications in a wide variety of industries. This paper introduces the basic principles of friction stir welding (FSW) and presents a survey of the latest technologies and applications in the field. The basic principles that are discussed include the terminology, tool/workpiece processes, FSW merits and process variants. In particular, the process variants including the rotation speed and traveling speed are discussed, which include the defect-free zone in an oxygen free copper and Al alloy, respectively. Multiple aspects of the FSW machine are developed, including a horizontal 2D FSW machine and a hybrid complex FSW machine. The latest applications are introduced, with an emphasis on the recent advances in the aerospace, automotive, and IT display industries. Finally, the direction for future research and potential applications are examined.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

This article describes the basic technical concepts for applying the friction stir welding (FSW) process to titanium and its alloys. Titanium and its alloys are demanding applications of FSW. During FSW, a protective atmosphere is needed at the welding region to prevent the joints from oxidation due to the absorption of interstitial elements (O, N, and H) at high temperature. The process parameters for FSW have great influence on the microstructure and properties of the joints. No phase transformation occurred in CP Ti because FSW was achieved below the ${\beta}$-transus temperature. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the joints with CP Ti were governed by recrystallization and grain refinement. Furthermore, the strong crystallographic texture indicating <0001>//ND formed in the stir zone. On the other hands, the phase transformation occurred in Ti-6Al-4V alloy because the process temperature reached above ${\beta}$-transus temperature. For this reason, the mechanical properties of the joints with Ti-6Al-4V alloy were altered by not only recry stallization and grain refinement but also phase transformation during FSW. Engineers who want to get sound FSW joints with Ti-6Al-4V alloy have to pay attention to the control about process conditions.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.791-796
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• 2001

Friction stir welding is a solid phase welding process that does not melt the metal when welding. The FSW is the most remarkable and potentially useful new welding technique that is still in development. Friction stir butt welding process on 2 mm thick Al 1050 plates by utilizing a milling machine was experimentally studied. With the optimized heat generating tool welds could be achieved that are void and crack free. It was found that the friction stir welded tensile test specimens failed in the HAZ outside of the weld metal, and that the tensile strength was above 90% of that of the base metal.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.653-659
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• 2010

Friction stir welding results in low distortion and high joint strength compared with other welding procedures, and is able to join all aluminium alloys that are not considered as virtually weldable with classical liquid state techniques. The comparative study on high cycle fatigue properties between A16005-T6 friction stir welds and MIG weld joints have been performed and fracture mechanisms for the fatigue specimens were investigated. Although mechanical properties are lower than the corresponding base material, FSW joints of A16005-T6 become higher at tensile and fatigue strength in comparison with the traditional fusion weld(MIG). The fracture surfaces of FSW and MIG fatigue specimens cleary show different aspects of the fracture morphology. MIG weldments were characterized by voids and cleavage(brittle fracture) but FSW specimens showed the presence of ductile fracture surface.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.493-498
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• 2002

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new solid-state joining process which can homogenize the heterogeneous microstructure by intensely plastic deformation arising from the rotation of the welding tool. The present study applied the FSW to an A356 aluminum (AI) alloy with the as-cast heterogeneous microstructure in the T6 temper condition, and examined an effect of microstructure on mechanical properties in the weld. The base material consisted of Al matrix with a high density of strengthening precipitates, large eutectic silicon and a lot of porosities. The FSW led to fragment of the eutectic silicon, extinction of the porosities and dissolution of the strengthening precipitates in the Al alloy. The dissolution of strengthening precipitates reduced the hardness of the weld around the weld center and the transverse ultimate tensile strength of the weld. Longitudinal tensile specimen containing only the stir zone showed the roughly same strength as the base material and a much larger elongation. Moreover, Charpy impact tests indicated that the stir zone had remarkably the higher absorbed energy than the base material. The higher mechanical properties of the stir zone were attributed to a homogenization of the as-cast heterogeneous microstructure by FSW.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.73-79
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• 2011

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid state joining method patented in 1991 by The Welding Institute (TWI). It is widely used for joining light metals such as Al and Mg alloys. Foreign railway vehicle manufacturing companies have been applying FSW to car body welding, but domestic companies are in the beginning of feasibility study. Therefore, lots of experimental and analytical study is needed. In this study, three-dimensional finite element modeling of the friction stir welding of two Al6061-T6 plates was carried out. And temperature field and residual stresses were obtained and compared to experimental results in the literature. It is found the analytic thermal field is in a good agreement with the experimental results, but there are some differences between numerical and experimental residual stresses.