Effect of Welding Processing Parameters on FSW of Aerospace Grade Aluminum Alloys

This study aimed to investigate the influence of rotational and traverse speeds on the friction stir welding (FSW) of aerospace-grade aluminum alloys. To achieve this, a thermo-mechanically coupled 3D finite element analysis (FEM) was employed to analyze the impact of these speeds on temperature and strain. Additionally, tensile tests were conducted on welded joints fabricated using varying tool rotational and traverse speeds to examine the effects of welding speed on the tensile properties of the specimens. The results revealed that high welding speeds had a detrimental effect on the mechanical properties of the weld samples. Samples produced using an optimal rotational speed of 1200 rpm and a traverse speed of 40 mm exhibited a tensile strength of 346 MPa, which accounts for approximately 64% of the strength seen in the base material.