Effects of friction stir welding on mechanical properties and microstructure of aluminum alloy

Mohammed F.Alkandari, Sayed.A.Abdallah, S.S.Mohamed

The objective of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of friction stir welding (FSW) for Aluminum 6061. The  rotational speeds, 1800 r.p.m and transverse speeds 16 mm/min were examined. Metallographic examinations of friction stir welded plates were carried out using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Hardness profiles of weld joints were measured using Rockwell hardness testing machine. The hardness profile at transfer cross sections showed marked decrease in hardness values depending on welding conditions and position of hardness measurements. The FSW welds exhibited higher joint efficiencies relative to conventional techniques.