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Structure-Property Correlation of AA2014 Friction Stir Welds: Role of Tool Pin Profile

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Abstract

The influence of rapid plastic deformation in the generation of welding heat during friction stir welding (FSW), supplementing the frictional heat generation by the tool shoulder, forms the thrust of the present investigation. Several researchers have highlighted the role of tool shoulder in the generation of frictional heat and suggested that the tool-material interface friction as the sole mechanism for heating. The configuration of tool pin profile is seldom studied for its contribution to welding heat through rapid plastic deformation at high strain rates (103/s), especially while welding thick plates. An attempt has been made to understand the dependence of deformation heat generation with different tool pin profiles in welding 5 mm thick AA2014-T6 aluminum alloy, maintaining the same swept volume during the tool rotation. An attempt has also been made to correlate the influence of process response variables such as force and torque acting on the tool pin. To quantify the physical influence of tool pin profile, temperature measurements were made in the region adjacent to the rotating pin, close to nugget in the thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ). It has been observed that the temperature rises at a relatively rapid rate in the case of hexagonal tool pin compared to the welds produced employing other tool pin profiles. It is observed that during FSW, extensive deformation experienced at the nugget zone and the evolved microstructure strongly influences the mechanical properties of the joint. The present study is also aimed at understanding the influence of tool profile on the microstructural changes and the associated mechanical properties. Transverse tensile samples failed at the nugget/TMAZ boundary due to localized softening. Hexagonal tool pin profile welds have shown higher tensile strength, low TMAZ width, and high nugget hardness compared to other tool pin profile welds.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. G. Malakondaiah, Distinguished Scientist & Director, Defence Metallurgical Research laboratory (DMRL), Hyderabad and Dr. Amol A. Ghokale, Outstanding Scientist, DMRL for their constant encouragement and permission to publish this work. One of the authors (Mr. K. Ramanjaneyulu) expresses his gratitude to the management of MGIT, Hyderabad for their support in carrying out this work. Financial assistance from Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Technology, Gandipet, 500075, Hyderabad, India

    K. Ramanjaneyulu

  2. Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Kanchanbagh, 500058, Hyderabad, India

    G. Madhusudhan Reddy & A. Venugopal Rao

  3. Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad, Kukatpally, 500085, Hyderabad, India

    R. Markandeya

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  1. K. Ramanjaneyulu
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Correspondence to G. Madhusudhan Reddy.

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Ramanjaneyulu, K., Madhusudhan Reddy, G., Venugopal Rao, A. et al. Structure-Property Correlation of AA2014 Friction Stir Welds: Role of Tool Pin Profile. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 22, 2224–2240 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-013-0512-4

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