Preliminary investigation of the energy consumption in friction stir welding of aluminum alloys

Abstract

Manufacturing is responsible for significant emissions and energy consumption. However, several manufacturing processes, especially the non-conventional ones, are still poorly investigated from a sustainable perspective. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a non-conventional solid-state welding process developed in the last decade which can produce joints with higher mechanical and metallurgical properties. Very few studies exist in the literature on the FSW from a sustainable perspective, so this paper aims to fill this gap of knowledge. Following the in-depth approach of CO2PE! procedure, the power profile of the machine overall the process has been investigated to carry out time and energy studies. The main factors affecting electrical energy demand in the FSW process are highlighted and guidelines for decision-making from an energysaving perspective are released.