Developing a friction-stir welding window for joining the dissimilar aluminum alloys AA6351 and AA5083

Abstract

In this study a welding window was constructed for the relatively new welding process of friction-stir welding (FSW) to join the 6-mm-thick dissimilar aluminium alloys AA5083-H111 and AA6351-T6. The dissimilar joints were fabricated using different combinations of tool rotational speeds and welding speeds. The effect of the process parameters on the macrostructure of the joints was analysed and reported. Established along with the macrostructural analysis, a welding window was made. These windows will act as reference maps for selecting the appropriate FSW process parameters to produce defect-free welds of dissimilar aluminium alloys.