Studies on Aeronautical Metals by Friction Stir Welding

A special issue of Metals (ISSN 2075-4701). This special issue belongs to the section "Welding and Joining".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2024 | Viewed by 5127

Special Issue Editors

College of Aerospace Engineering, Shenyang Aerospace University, Shenyang 110136, China
Interests: friction stir welding; intelligent algorithm; numerical simulation
College of Materials, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
Interests: welding and processing; aluminum alloys; polymer; magnesium alloys; microstructures; mechanical properties

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Weight loss is continually the goal when designing aeronautical crafts; therefore, due to their high specific strength and stiffness, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys and titanium alloys have become important aeronautical structure metals. Joining technologies are required in the aeronautical industry to realize any structure—small or large, simple or complex. Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new joining technology. The advantages of FSW include its low stress levels, high strength, low energy consumption and, with a welding peak temperature that is lower than the melting point of metals, a low-pollution manufacturing process. Thus far, as a solid-state welding technology, friction stir welding has attracted the attention of many scholars.

This Special Issue, “Studies on Aeronautical Metals by Friction Stir Welding”, will collect the latest contributions regarding the application of FSW technology to similar and dissimilar metals such as aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, titanium alloys. We are inviting researchers to contribute manuscripts presenting the latest FSW findings using experimental analysis, numerical simulation and intelligent algorithms.The latest findings regarding friction stir repairing, friction stir processing and friction stir additive manufacturing are also welcome, provided that the technology derived from FSW can be used for aeronautical-structure metals.

Topics addressed in this Special Issue may include, but are not limited to,

  • Thermal cycles;
  • Flow behaviors;
  • Welding stress;
  • Welding deformation;
  • Microstructure evolution;
  • Mechanical properties;
  • Fracture behavior.

Prof. Dr. Shude Ji
Dr. Xiangchen Meng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Metals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thermal cycles
  • flow behaviors
  • welding stress
  • welding deformation
  • microstructure evolution
  • mechanical properties
  • fracture behavior

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 3311 KiB  
Article
Improved Interface Morphology and Failure Load of Ultrasonic-Assisted Friction Stir Lap Welding Joint of 2024 Aluminum Alloy to 304 Stainless Steel
by Lei Han, Zhanxing Yu, Dejun Yan, Yuzhong Rao and Lin Ma
Metals 2024, 14(3), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/met14030267 - 23 Feb 2024
Viewed by 608
Abstract
Achieving high-strength welding joint of aluminum to steel is a highly pressing and challenging task in the manufacturing industries, and friction stir lap welding (FSLW) has advantages for joining these two metals. To further heighten the strength of dissimilar aluminum and steel metals [...] Read more.
Achieving high-strength welding joint of aluminum to steel is a highly pressing and challenging task in the manufacturing industries, and friction stir lap welding (FSLW) has advantages for joining these two metals. To further heighten the strength of dissimilar aluminum and steel metals (Al/steel) FSLW joint, the ultrasonic-assisted FSLW (UAFSLW) process was used, and the upper 2024-T4 aluminum alloy and the lower 304 stainless steel were chosen as research object. The results show that the addition of ultrasound eliminates the micro pores, changes the aluminum-rich intermetallic compounds (IMCs) into the iron-rich IMCs and enhances the micro and macro mechanical interlocking structures along the Al/steel lap interface. Under the rational IMCs layer thickness lower than 1.5 μm, the UAFSLW joint has the failure load higher than the traditional FSLW joint. The maximum failure load of UAFSLW joint reaches 7.06 kN, and the loading capacity of this joint is higher than that of reported Al/steel traditional FSLW joint. The UAFSLW process is an effective way to fabricate the high-strength Al/steel lap joint. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Aeronautical Metals by Friction Stir Welding)
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21 pages, 6438 KiB  
Article
Introduction of Coal Reinforcing Particles on the Dissimilar FSW AA608/AA5083 Joint via Friction Stir Processing
by Keegan Zass, Sipokazi Mabuwa and Velaphi Msomi
Metals 2023, 13(12), 1981; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13121981 - 06 Dec 2023
Viewed by 684
Abstract
This study investigates the mechanical characteristics of friction stir processed dissimilar joints between AA5083 and AA6082 alloys reinforced with coal particles. Employing friction stir welding (FSW), the mean grain size measured 19.7 μm, but using the FSP technique with coal reinforcement (FSP + [...] Read more.
This study investigates the mechanical characteristics of friction stir processed dissimilar joints between AA5083 and AA6082 alloys reinforced with coal particles. Employing friction stir welding (FSW), the mean grain size measured 19.7 μm, but using the FSP technique with coal reinforcement (FSP + Coal) significantly refined the grain size to 8.75 μm. In flexural testing, FSW face samples exhibited failure at 12.7% strain and 535 MPa stress, while FSP + Coal face specimens showed diminished performance at 3% strain and 222 MPa stress. Similar trends were observed in root specimens. For FSW joints, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) peaked at 145.90 MPa, with the lowest recorded UTS at 93.43 MPa. FSP + Coal joints reached a maximum UTS at 142 MPa and minimum UTS at 104.06 MPa. Fractures in both FSWed and FSPed samples occurred on the AA5083 side. In terms of hardness, FSW joints exhibited 80.33 HV, while FSP + Coal joints displayed a higher hardness of 83.66 HV at the nugget zone. Fracture surface morphology analysis revealed a prominent ductile failure mechanism for both FSWed and FSP + Coal joints. This study provides insight into the enhanced mechanical properties achieved through FSP + Coal processing, offering valuable implications for dissimilar alloy joints in various applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Aeronautical Metals by Friction Stir Welding)
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13 pages, 3685 KiB  
Article
Interfacial Microstructure Produced during Dissimilar AA6013/Ti-6Al-4V Friction Stir Lap Welding under Zero-Penetration Condition
by Alexander Kalinenko, Pavel Dolzhenko, Sergey Malopheyev, Diana Yuzbekova, Yuliya Borisova, Ivan Shishov, Vasiliy Mishin, Sergey Mironov and Rustam Kaibyshev
Metals 2023, 13(10), 1667; https://doi.org/10.3390/met13101667 - 28 Sep 2023
Viewed by 601
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the interfacial microstructure that was produced during dissimilar friction stir lap welding (FSW) of 6013 aluminum alloy and Ti-6Al-4V. FSW was conducted under a zero-penetration condition, i.e., the welding tool was plunged exclusively into the [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the interfacial microstructure that was produced during dissimilar friction stir lap welding (FSW) of 6013 aluminum alloy and Ti-6Al-4V. FSW was conducted under a zero-penetration condition, i.e., the welding tool was plunged exclusively into the upper (aluminum) plate of the dissimilar lap joint. To facilitate the interpretation of microstructural processes, finite element modeling (FEM) was applied to evaluate the temperature field within the weld zone. The FEM simulation revealed a very sharp temperature gradient across the dissimilar interface. This effect was attributed to the generation of FSW heat exclusively within the aluminum part and a relatively low thermal conductivity of titanium. The abrupt temperature drop on the titanium side imposed a strict limitation on the diffusion penetration of aluminum and thus resulted in a relatively thin (~0.5 μm) and discontinuous intermetallic compound. Due to the complex chemical composition of the FSWed aluminum alloy, the diffusion processes also involved alloying elements. Consequently, the evolved intermetallic compound had a complicated chemical composition, with the principal elements being aluminum, titanium, silicon, manganese, and magnesium. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Aeronautical Metals by Friction Stir Welding)
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14 pages, 3890 KiB  
Article
Interface Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of 2024 Aluminum Alloy and 304 Stainless Steel Dissimilar Alloys FSLW Joint with Ni Interlayer
by Jun Liu, Ruixiu Guo, Peng Gong, Yumei Yue, Zhanxing Yu and Yewei Zhang
Metals 2022, 12(10), 1574; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12101574 - 22 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1335
Abstract
The composite structure of aluminum and steel (Al/steel) dissimilar metals has been applied in manufacturing industries for lightweight products, and friction stir lap welding (FSLW) has advantages for the welding of these two metals. To further enhance the strength of the Al/steel FSLW [...] Read more.
The composite structure of aluminum and steel (Al/steel) dissimilar metals has been applied in manufacturing industries for lightweight products, and friction stir lap welding (FSLW) has advantages for the welding of these two metals. To further enhance the strength of the Al/steel FSLW joint, a 0.02 mm thick nickel (Ni) foil was chosen as the interlayer, and slight plunging depth of a tool pin into the lower steel sheet was designed, which can respectively change the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) type and produce small welding heat. Choosing dissimilar 2024 aluminum alloy and 304 stainless steel materials as the research subject, the characteristics of the lap interface and the mechanical properties of the joint were mainly discussed. The results showed that the lap interface between the upper aluminum and lower steel sheets was made up of an AlNi3 IMCs layer, hook structure and mechanical occlusion. The AlNi3 IMCs layer with 2 μm thickness was in a reasonable range positive to the joint strength. When the rotating speed of the stirring tool increased from 800 to 1200 rpm and the welding speed of 75 mm/min was constant, the hook structure and the mechanical occlusion were both enhanced, and the tensile shear strength of the joint was decreased. A maximum joint tensile shear strength of 217 MPa was obtained at 800 rpm, and the strength value was 47.2 percent of that of the 2024 aluminum alloy base material. The Al/steel joint with shear fracture mode presented a brittle–ductile mixed fracture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Aeronautical Metals by Friction Stir Welding)
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13 pages, 4880 KiB  
Article
Material Flow and Mechanical Properties of a Non-Keyhole Friction Stir Welded Aluminum Alloy with Improved Sleeve Bottom Geometry
by Zelin Sun, Yuting Li, Xin Qi, Shude Ji, Zhen Jia, Feng Li and Yewei Zhang
Metals 2022, 12(9), 1415; https://doi.org/10.3390/met12091415 - 26 Aug 2022
Viewed by 1338
Abstract
Non-keyhole friction stir welding (N-KFSW) is a technique that can fabricate a welding joint without a keyhole through a one-time welding process. The Al–Mg–Si alloy was chosen as a research object, and the N-KFSW technique was investigated by numerical and experimental methods. Firstly, [...] Read more.
Non-keyhole friction stir welding (N-KFSW) is a technique that can fabricate a welding joint without a keyhole through a one-time welding process. The Al–Mg–Si alloy was chosen as a research object, and the N-KFSW technique was investigated by numerical and experimental methods. Firstly, the sleeve bottoms of the N-KFSW welding tool system were innovatively optimized in this study. The optimal sleeve bottom with an 80° angle between the spiral groove and the sleeve inner side wall allowed avoiding the incomplete root penetration defect at the bottom of the stir zone (SZ), which was verified by numerical results and the C-shaped line height. Then, using a 3 mm-thick aluminum alloy as the experimental material, the material flow and joint formation characteristics and mechanical properties at 110, 150 and 190 mm/min welding speeds were studied and compared. The results showed that the SZ presented a drum shape due to the action of the clamping ring and the threads on the side wall of the sleeve. The SZ width decreased from 7.17 to 6.91 mm due to the decreased heat input. From 70 to 210 mm/min welding speed, the maximum tensile strength of the joint was 250 MPa at 190 mm/min, and the joint with relatively higher strength fractured at the heat-affected zone. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Studies on Aeronautical Metals by Friction Stir Welding)
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