Optimization of friction stir welding parameters of dissimilar aluminium alloys 6061 and 5083 by using response surface methodology

Abstract

Aluminium and its alloys are lightweight, corrosion-resistant, affordable and high-strength material and find wide applications in shipbuilding, automotive, constructions, aerospace and other industrial sectors. In applications like aerospace, marine and automotive industries, there is a need to join components made of different aluminium alloys, viz. AA6061 and AA5083. In this study friction stir welding (FSW) is used to join dissimilar plates made of AA6061-T6 and AA5083-O. The effect of varying tool pin profile, tool rotation speed, tool feed rate and tilt angle of the tool has been investigated on the tensile strength and percentage elongation of the welded joints. Box-Behkan design, with four input parameters and three levels of each parameter has been employed to decide the set of experimental runs. The regression models have been developed to investigate the influence of welding variables on the tensile strength and elongation of the welded joint. It is revealed that with the increase in welding parameters like tool rpm, tool feed rate and tilt angle of the tool, both the mechanical properties increase, reach a maximum level, followed by a decrease with further increase in the value of parameters. Amongst different types of tool pin profiles used, the FSW tool having straight cylindrical (SC) pin profile is found to yield the maximum strength and elongation of the welded joint for different combinations of welding parameters. Multiple response optimization indicates that the maximum UTS (135.83 MPa) and TE (4.35%) are obtained for the welded joint fabricated using FSW tool having SC pin profile, tilted at 1.11° and operating at tool speed and feed rate of 1568 rpm and 39.53 mm/min., respectively.