A critical review on friction stir welding of dissimilar aluminium alloys

Abstract

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid-state joining process having capability of joining materials which differ in chemical composition, properties, etc., and where fusion can lead to harmful reactions. Nowadays, the arena of aerospace, railway, ship building industries, etc., are moving towards the use of this technique as compared to fusion welding process for the fabrication of structural parts. It is energy-efficient, eco-friendly and versatile process of joining. In the current study, an attempt has been made to study the effect of process parameters, i.e. rotational speed, welding speed, tool tilt angle, dwell time, etc., on the weld characteristics of dissimilar aluminium alloys. Moreover, difficulties and other issues related to FSW of dissimilar metals are addressed to provide guidelines to research community to carry out extensive research in this field.