Publication

Abstract : In this paper, we present a three-dimensional numerical analysis of friction stir welding on an alumunium butt joint. A thin sheet of aluminum marking material was embedded into the 6061-aluminum alloy panel and its rear weld path. The positions after friction stir welding were investigated by metallographic techniques. Looking at the visualized material flow pattern, a three-dimensional model was developed to numerically simulate the temperature profile and plastic effects. The calculated velocity profile for plastic flow in the immediate vicinity of the tool generally agrees with the visualized results. Increasing the tool speed while maintaining a constant tool feed rate increases the material flow near the pin. The shape and size of the predicted weld zone match the experimentally measured ones.