Impact of traverse speed during joining of CDA101 plates using FSW process

Abstract

This study conducts an experimental investigation to explore the impact of the traverse speed of a tool on the tensile strength and micro-structural peculiarities of joints attained during friction stir welding of Cu alloy namely CDA 101 at plates. In this process, other parameters including spinning speed of tool (1100 rpm) and downward force (6 kN) were kept constant. A tool with a cylindrical tapered pin geometry was made to traverse at varying speeds, from 20 mm/min to 45 mm/min. It was observed that the CDA 101 joints fabricated at 20 mm/min were entirely free of aws, while the joints fabricated at other traverse speeds of the tool were featured several weld aws. Grains in the center of the stir zone of the joints obtained at 20 mm/min were uniformly distributed and homogeneous due to the significant volume of frictional heat and sufficient stirring force. The highest tensile strength of 200.65 MPa (nearly 85.38% of base metal) was exhibited by the joint attained at 20 mm/min.