The effect of Argon Shield Gas and Cold Air for Friction Stir Welding of Ceramic-reinforced Aluminium Matrix Composite and Aluminium Alloy

Abstract

Abstract A dissimilar joint between friction stir welded ceramic-reinforced C35 aluminium matrix composite and AA7075-T6 aluminium alloy has some difficulties. For fusion welding of aluminium, a shielding gas always has to be used to achieve the required welding joint quality, but in the case of Friction Stir Welding (FSW) no shielding gas or filler material is required for welding aluminium alloys. To achieve a good welding joint between super strength aluminium alloys and ceramic-reinforced aluminium matrix composites some sort of support is needed. In this study, the effect of blowing argon gas and cold air (0 °C) was investigated with regards to the quality of the welding. For the experiment a cylindrical pin tool, a different feed and a constant rotation speed were utilized along with a marble table to avoid harmful heat conduction. For evaluations, hardness and tensile tests examinations were carried out to classify the mechanical properties of the joint. Experimental results showed that the blowing of gas and cold air having a positive effect on the welded joint quality and also for the weld face. Additionally, the optimal welding traveling speed and the temperature of the air blown was determined.