Process Optimization and Influence of Micro Structural Characterization by Friction Stir Welding of Various Materials

Abstract

Various advanced joining techniques are available now days to suit the process challenges and to connect the specific application areas of industrial sector. Several experimental investigations on mechanical characteristics of different materials along with process parameters are successfully joined and evaluated. Friction stir welding (FSW) defines a solid state bonding operation, which uses a non-consumable tool to join the workpiece material. Friction stir welding technique can be applied to weld the similar and dissimilar materials including ferrous, nonferrous and polymers to develop sustainable byproduct. Industrial applications in the fields of automobiles, aerospace are expecting the techniques to join various combinations of materials for lightweight and improved performance from engineering designs that ensures the fulfillment of current challenging desires. As the research intensifies into wider aspects like obtaining suitable material combinations to attain the objective of reduced weight and also to satisfy applications aspects, friction stir welding gave perfect platform to exhibit newer material integration. Objective of this paper is to research and analyze the influence of critical parameters through FSW. In this direction, review based on process based methodology of different materials combinations like ferrous materials, non-ferrous materials and dissimilar material has been focused. Welding parameters influencing the FSW operations and their effect on mechanical properties in the respective categories of material pooling has been indicated. Tensile test, hardness inspection, macro and microstructural evaluations of subjected materials have been highlighted in this section. This suggest with further recommendations that FSW can also be applied effectively in case of polymeric materials in continuance of research domain.