Experimental and Parametric Analyzing of Friction Stir Welding for AA-6061 Aluminum Alloys

Abstract

This paper deals with the optimization of process parameters for friction stir welding take into account aluminum alloy (AA-6061) material. The effect of process parameters like rotational speed, welding speed and tool profile on joint hardness and tensile strength was examined. Finite element simulation (FEM) was implemented in ABAQUS software and experimental welding performed on the vertical milling machines. From software simulation, the temperature range for welding was determined. The result of numerical estimation validate with experimental results. Nine sets of experiments were conducted using Taguchi L9 orthogonal array design approach. The temperature along the width of the sheet was measured using Dual Laser Infra Red and K-type thermometer. The temperature results of numerical, FEM and experimental data showed good agreement.