In this study, mechanical properties of Al-Zn alloys were conducted, with various parameters including Zn contents, grain size, and tensile strain rate. Experimental samples were all manufactured with friction stir processing method. Samples of Al-Zn alloys with the grain size of 1.5£gm, 1£gm, or 0.5£gm and five Zn concentration were pulled in tension at strain rate of 10-3s-1,10-4s-1 and 10-5s-1 . The data set were then used to draw engineering and true tensile stress vs. strain curves , flowing stress vs. Zn contents curves, Hall-Petch equation curves, m vs. Zn contents curves and m vs. grain size curves. Quantitative analysis were conducted to discover that solid solute softening and inverse Hall-Petch relation were present in Al-Zn alloys, which were more prominent at slower tensile strain rate when grain size was less than 1£gm and the Zn contents was higher than 10wt%. Quantitative analysis of strain rate sensitivity (m) showed the trends of increasing value of m with higher Zn contents and smaller grain sizes when solid solute softening and inverse Hall-Petch relation were present. The high grain-boundary diffusion coefficient of Zn which accelerates the efficiency of dynamic recovery are considered the main reason. The effect gets more prominent with increasing Zn contents , smaller grain size , and slower tensile strain rate. For Zn concentration higher than 10wt%, dynamic recovery may drive inverse Hall-Petch relation to appear when grain size is about 1£gm large.

In this study, a novel assembled-type tool was used to weld SS400 low-carbon steel plate using the friction stir spot welding. The welding tool was made of tungsten carbide embedded a circular rod made of the low-carbon steel. The superiority of this embedded material not only could effectively promote the interface temperature of the joint, but also the thickness of stir zone. Compared to previous studies, this novel tool can significantly improve the manufacturing cost and the trimming time. The welding apparatus composed of a vertical milling machine and a welding platform. The operating conditions of welding were as followings: the diameter of embedded material, the welding speed, and the vertical load. During the welding process, the interface temperature of the joint, the tool plunge depth, and the vertical load were simultaneously measured by the K-type thermocouple, a displacement sensor, and a load cell. Experimental results revealed that the interface temperature, the thickness of the stir zone, and the tensile strength of the welding joint was proportional to the diameter of the embedded material. The best welding condition is the embedded material diameter of 10mm, the vertical load of 8kN, the welding speed of 1200rpm, and the welding time of 100 seconds.

Friction stir processing (FSP) is applied to produce particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites with ultrafine grained structure from elemental powder mixtures of Al-Cu, Al-Ti and Al-Si. The microstructures of the composites were characterized by the use of XRD, SEM and TEM. Microhardness, tensile and compressive tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties of these composites. The mechanisms of microstructure evolution in FSP and the strengthening mechanisms in these composites are discussed. In the Al-Si system, the Si particles were broken and uniformly distributed in the stir zone by the application of multiples-pass FSP. The average size of Si particles and Al grains were refined to below ~2

In this study, firstly, in order to achieve fine grains in solid solution strengthened AZ31 magnesium alloy by friction stir processing (FSP), various efforts have been made. It has found that with a newly designed cooling system, the microstructure of commercial AZ31 alloy can be refined dramatically by carefully controlling the FSP parameters. It is of scientific interest that nanometer grains have been observed in the resultant microstructure for the AZ alloy experienced by two-pass FSP. Besides, in order to modify the microstructure and mechanical properties, FSP is also applied to incorporate AZ31 Mg alloy with nano-ZrO2 particles, nano-SiO2 particles and different fractions of Al and Zn elements. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the modified alloy and composite samples are investigated and compared. By one-pass FSP coupled with rapid heat sink from liquid nitrogen cooling approach, the ultrafine grain size in AZ31 Mg alloy is successfully achieved. The grain boundaries are well defined and the mean grain size can be refined to 100~300 nm from the initial 75 £gm of commercial AZ31 Mg alloys sheets. The ultrafine grained structure can drastically increases the microhardness from the initial 50 up to 120 Hv, or an increment factor of 2.4 times. Furthermore, the nanometer grains can be even achieved by two passes FSP coupled with rapid heat sink. The resulting microstructure exhibits equiaxed grains ranging from 40 nm to 200 nm with an average grain size of less than 100 nm. The nanocrystalline grains can be characterized by the TEM observations and the diffraction rings in SAD patterns. The highest hardness point can reach ~150 Hv which is equal to triple of the AZ31 matrix, and the mean hardness also increases up to around 134 Hv. Bulk Mg-AZ31 based composites with 10~20 vol% of nano-ZrO2 particles and 5~10 vol% of nano-SiO2 particles are also successfully fabricated by FSP. The average grain size of the resultant composites could be effectively refined to 2~4 £gm, and it demonstrates much higher hardness values compared to commercial AZ31 billet. Moreover, for the Mg/ZrO2 composite fabricated by one pass and subsequent cooling pass FSP, the recrystallized grain size could be further refined to 0.4 £gm with the hardness value of 135 Hv. As for multi-element Mg base alloys fabricated by FSP, high fractions of Al and Zn elements can result in apparent grain refinement, this can be proved by the broadening of diffraction peaks. Multi-passes FSP can induce the appearance of intermetallic compounds, however, some of them are quasi-crystals with icosahedral point group symmetry. The average hardness of the resultant alloys reachs nearly 350 in Hv scale due to the generation of intermetallic compounds and grain refinement.

PROBLEM - The bobbin friction stir welding (BFSW) process has potential benefits for welding thin sheet aluminium alloy. The main benefits of friction stir welding over conventional thermal welding processes are minimisation of energy usage, no need for consumables, potential for good weld quality without porosity, no fumes, minimal adverse environmental effects (green), minimal waste (lean), and reduced threats to personal health and safety. The BFSW process has further advantages over conventional friction stir welding (CFSW) in the reduction of welding forces, faster welding, and less fixturing. It is especially attractive to industries that join thin sheet material, e.g. boat-building. The industrial need for this project arose from the desire to apply the technology at a ship manufacturing company, INCAT located in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. However there are peculiar difficulties with the specific grade of material used in this industry, namely thin sheet aluminium Al6082-T6. Early efforts with a portable friction stir welding machine identified the process to have low repeatability and reproducibility, i.e. process-instability. There are a large number of process variables and situational factors that affect weld quality, and many of these are covert. This is also the reason for divergent recommendations in the literature for process settings. PURPOSE - The main purpose of this research was to identify covert variables and better understand their potentially adverse effects on weld quality. Therefore, this thesis investigated the hidden variables and their interactions. Developing this knowledge is a necessity for making reliable and repeatable welds for industrial application. APPROACH - An explorative approach that focused on the functional perspective was taken. An extensive empirical testing programme was undertaken to identify the variables and their effects. In the process a force platform and BFSW tools were designed and built. A variety of machine platforms were used, namely portable friction stir welding, manual milling machine and computer numerical control (CNC) milling machine. The trials were grouped into 14 test plans. These are tool shoulder gap, spindle and travel speed, tool features, machines, tool fixation, machinery, welding direction, plate size (width and dimension), support insulation, tool materials, substrate properties and fixation. For the welded plates besides visual inspection of the weld, current, force, and temperature were measured. The Fourier transform was used to analyse the frequency response of machines. Also the welded samples were tested to the maritime standards of Det Norske Veritas (DNV). A number of relationships of causality were identified whereby certain variables affected weld quality. A model was developed to represent the proposed causality using the IDEF0 systems engineering method. FINDINGS - From these trials six main variables have been identified. These are tool features, spindle speed, travel speed, shoulder gap compression, machine variability, tool and substrate fixation. A rigid system is required for a consistent weld results. Under this condition, full pin features (threads and flats) need to be used to balance the adverse effects of individual features. It has been shown that fabricated bobbin tools with sharp edges can cause cuts and digging thus this feature should be avoided. Additionally, the substrate should have continuous interaction with the tool so the shoulder interference needs to be fixed and well-controlled. It is found that the compression generated by the shoulder towards the substrate helps material grabbing for better tool-substrate interaction. It is also shown that tool entry causes ejection of material and hence an enduring mass deficit, which manifests as a characteristic tunnel defect. The new explanation of the formation, origin and location of this defect has been explained. Material transportation mechanisms within the weld have been elucidated. It is also found that the role of the travel speed is not only to control heat generation but also for replacing the deficit material. Additionally, heat supplied to the weld depends not only on thickness, but also the width of the plate. Different types of machine cause an interaction in the material flow through their controller strategies. Jerking motion can occur at a slow travel speed, which also alters the way material is being transported. The Fourier transform (FFT) has been used to identify the characteristics of good and bad BFSW welds. This has the potential to be expanded for real-time process control. IMPLICATIONS - Tool deflection and positioning, material flow and availability are identified as affecting weld quality through stated mechanisms. The impact is even more severe when involving thin-plate aluminium. For the industry to successfully adopt this technology the process typically needs tight control of shoulder gap, tool strength and stiffness, feature fabrication, substrate and tool fixation. Additionally spindle and travel speed need to be adjusted not only based on the type of materials and thickness, but also the width, type of machine and method of tool entry. ORIGINALITY - New data are presented, which lead to new insights into the welding mechanics, production settings, material transportation and weld defects for BFSW on thin sheet material. The conventional idea that the welding tool has a semi-steady interaction with the substrate is not supported. Instead the interaction is highly dynamic, and this materially affects the weld-quality, especially in the difficult-to-weld material under examination. Factors such as shoulder gap, tool and substrate fixation compliance and machine types emerge as variables that need to be given attention in the selection of process parameters. The causal relationships have been represented in a conceptual model using an IDEF0 system approach. This study has made several original contributions to the body of knowledge. First is the identification of previously hidden variables that effect weld formation for the fixed gap BFSW process. The second contribution is a new way of understanding the material transportation mechanics within the weld. This includes the flow around the pin in the plane of the weld, the vertical transportation of material up the pin, the formation of turbulent-like knit lines at the advancing side, and the formation of tunnel defects. Also included here is a new understanding of how material deficit arises at tool entry and exit, and from flash/chips, and how this contributes to the tunnel weld defect. In addition, new understandings of the role of feed rate have been identified. Related to the material transportation, the work has also identified the importance of an interference fit between the substrate and tool. A third contribution is the identification of the dynamic interaction between tool and substrate. This identifies the important role rigidity plays. Associated with this is the identification of frequency characteristics of the motors under load. The fourth contribution is identification of the specific process settings for the difficult-to-weld material of AL6082-T6. The fifth contribution is the development of a novel method of fabricating bobbin friction stir welding tools as embodied in a patent application.

Additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) of AZ31B magnesium alloy was conducted to examine evolution of grain structure, phases, and crystallographic texture. AFSD was carried out using a hollow tool made from tool steel at a constant rotational velocity of 400 rpm on the AZ31B base plate. Bar stock of AZ31B was utilized as a feed material. The linear velocity of the tool was varied in the range of 4.2-6.3 mm/s. The feed rate of the material had to be maintained at a half value compared to the corresponding linear velocity for the successful deposition. The layer thickness and length of the deposits were kept constant at 1 mm and 50 mm respectively. The tool torque and actuator force values were recorded during the process and for calculation of the average input energy for each processing condition. Temperature during the AFSD experiments was monitored using a type k thermocouple located 4 mm beneath the deposition surface at the center of the deposition track. The average input energy values showed a decreasing trend with increasing tool linear velocity. The temperature values during deposition were ∼0.7 times the liquidus of the alloy. The deposited material then was examined by laser microscope and profilometer, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron back scatter diffraction (EBSC), contact angle measurement and micro hardness tests. The AFSD AZ31B samples showed reduction in areal surface roughness with an increase in the tool linear velocity. The X-ray spectra revealed increase in the intensity of prismatic planes of α-Mg phase with increase in tool linear velocity. AFSD of AZ31B Mg alloy resulted in shifting of the grain size from a broader and courser distribution within the feed material to a tighter distribution. Moreover, EBSD observations confirmed the refinement in grain size distribution as well as the presence of predominantly prismatic texture for the AFSD samples when compared to the feed material. There was a marginal improvement in the hardness for the AFSD samples compared to the feed material. However, there was no significant change in the contact angle measurements in simulated body fluid for the AFSD samples compared to the feed material. The current work demonstrated ability of AFSD technique for the additive fabrication of magnesium-based alloys and provided a methodology for examining various process attributes influencing the processing-structure-property relationship.

Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new solid-state welding technology invented at The Welding Institute of UK in 1991. It is versatile and has been widely adopted to join various materials. There has been strong research activity on revealing the details of the material flow pattern in the nugget zone induced by the conventional shoulder tool. However, there is insufficient understanding on the aspects of the scroll shoulder tool design and the shoulder flow zone formation utilizing this type of tool. The major objective of this study was to conduct experiments, analyse results and then reveal the shoulder flow zone forming mechanism for the scroll shoulder tool. The method used was to identify the flow pattern in the shoulder flow zone using a ‘marker insert’ technique, and then to suggest the forming mechanism of the shoulder flow zone based on the obtained flow pattern; although the ‘marker insert’ technique has never been used to study the shoulder flow zone flow pattern induced by the scroll shoulder tool. Experiments were conducted to examine the thick sections 6061 aluminium ‘marker insert’ welds, which were welded using a scroll shoulder tool at a range of welding parameters. These were followed by quantifying the mass of the accumulated work piece material within the scroll groove (pick up material-PUM), evaluating the effect of welding parameters on the shoulder flow zone formation, and documenting the shoulder flow zone flow pattern. The major finding was that there is a simple banded structure which forms in a layer to layer manner in the bottom portion of the shoulder flow zone, but it disappears in the top portion of the shoulder flow zone. Accordingly, the forming mechanism of the shoulder flow zone for the scroll shoulder tool was suggested as follows. Firstly, the tool pin is plunged into the work piece; the work piece material is extruded by the pin and pushed up into the scroll groove forming the PUM. Secondly, after the tool shoulder is plunged into the work piece to a certain depth, the scroll groove is fully filled up with the PUM. Finally, during the forward movement of the tool, the central portion of PUM is driven downward by the root portion of the pin and then detaches from the pin (tip portion) in a layer to layer manner. It has also found that the thickness of the shoulder flow zone varies with a thicker on the advancing side than on the retreating side, and there is a positive linear relationship between the mass of PUM and the weld quality. This study has revealed for the first time the forming mechanism of the shoulder flow zone, and has improved the understanding of the shoulder flow zone formation using a scroll shoulder tool. It is recommended that a ‘shoulder-breaking’ technique is developed to break the rotating shoulder suddenly and hence embed it into the work piece during FSW, in which a real-time shoulder-work piece couple could be produced for a better three-dimensional examination of the shoulder flow zone.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 219-235).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2009. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 380-400).

As ligas a base de Níquel são frequentemente utilizadas na indústria do petróleo devido à elevada resistência mecânica e excelente resistência à corrosão. Neste cenário, a utilização da soldagem como etapa na fabricação de dutos rígidos de grande comprimento é inevitável. Assim, chapas da liga Inconel 625® foram unidas através do processo Friction Stir Welding (FSW). A soldagem foi executada com uma ferramenta de nitreto cúbico de boro policristalino e o inerente desta ferramenta foi analisado. Em um primeiro momento, na seleção de parâmetros de processo, diversas condições de processo foram analisadas para escolha da melhor solda. Após esta etapa, novas juntas soldadas foram produzidas com o parâmetro de processo adequado (velocidade de rotação da ferramenta de 200 rpm e velocidade de avanço de 1 mm/s). A caracterização da superfície de topo da solda foi realizada através da microscopia ótica, microscopia eletrônica de varredura, microdureza e ensaios de dobramento. Defeitos superficiais foram inspecionados com líquidos penetrantes. Além disso, os estados de tensões residuais foram obtidos com a difração de raios-X. Ainda, a resistência à corrosão localizada foi estudada com o ensaio de imersão em cloreto férrico e a determinação da temperatura crítica de pite (conhecida como CPT) Por fim, a susceptibilidade à corrosão intergranular foi avaliada com o ensaio Streicher Test. O processo de soldagem promoveu o refino de grão e o aumento de dureza na solda. As micrografias do metal de base (MB) mostraram carbonetos do tipo MC, M6C, M23C6. Por outro lado, a melhor junta soldada apresentou uma microestrutura livre de defeitos, homogênea, onde não foram percebidos carbonetos do tipo M6C, M23C6 nos contornos de grão, foi aprovada nos ensaios de dobramento, líquidos penetrantes e imersão em FeCl3. Entretanto, ocorreu o um desgaste da ferramenta, mas reduzido e aceitável para esta solda. Tensões residuais longitudinais trativas da ordem de 50 MPa foram observadas na zona de mistura. Considerando o valor médio, o MB alcançou uma CPT de 77 °C, enquanto no centro da solda a CPT foi de 86°C. A taxa de corrosão média alcançada após o ensaio de corrosão intergranular foi de 0,4406 mm/ano, valor que sugere uma boa qualidade da solda. / Nickel based alloys are often used in the oil and gas industry due to their great mechanical strenght as well as excelent corrosion resistance. In this scenario, welding as manufacturing step for long lenght rigid tubes is inevitable. Therefore, Inconel 625® sheets were joined by Friction Stir Welding (FSW). The welding was performed with a Polycrystalline Cubic Boron Nitride (pcBN) tool and the unavoidable tool wear was verified. At first, in the process parameter development step, different process conditions were analyzed for choosing the best welded joint. Afterwards, new welded joints were produced with the suitable process parameter (tool rotational speed of 200 rpm and welding speed of 1 mm/s). Top surface characterization of friction-stir-welded Inconel 625 was carried out by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, microhardness and bending tests. Surface defects were verified by dye penetrant inspection (DPI). In addition, residual stress states were obtained by X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, localized corrosion resistance was studied by the immersion test in FeCl3 and the critical pitting temperature (CPT) determination. Finally, the susceptibility to intergranular corrosion was evaluated by Streicher Test. FSW process promoted grain refining as well as increased microhardness in the joint Base material micrographs showed different carbides as MC, M6C, M23C6. On the other hand, the best joint presented a sounds weld without defetcs, homogeneous microstructure, grain boundaries free of M6C, M23C6 carbides, approved in bending tests, DPI and the immersion test. However, a tool wear was also noted, but reduced and acceptable for this weld. Tensile longitudinal residual stresses of 50 MPa were observed in the stir zone. As an avarage, the base material CPT was 77 °C, while the CPT was 86 °C at the weld center. The mean corrosion rate after intergranular corrosion test was 0.4406 mm/year, a value which suggests a good weld quality.