mostraram que o cordão de solda é assimétrico, sendo 20% maior do lado do avanço da ferramenta. Além disto, houve um refino de grão e, na transição entre a zona termomecanicamente afetada (ZTMA) e a zona afetada pelo calor (ZAC), os grãos alongados apresentaram fator de forma maior no lado do avanço (entre 1,73 e 2,74) do que no lado do retrocesso (entre 1,40 e 1,59). As extensões da zona termomecanicamente afetada e da zona afetada pelo calor são maiores do lado do avanço que do lado do retrocesso. v ABSTRACT Friction Stir Welding process arose from a desire to apply the principles and benefits of traditional solid state friction welding friction in non axi-symmetric geometries. Thus, it was added a traveling speed and a special rotating tool that allows welding aluminum alloys with bad weldability. The key factor to have a linear friction welding with sound bead is a combination of tool geometry, welding parameters and material flow during welding, which is under tension stress in the advancing side and in compression in the retrieving side. Thus, each side has different microstructures and mechanical properties.The objective of this work is to characterize the 3,0 mm weld bead of an alloy 6063 T6.This material was welded with a tool type "Three flats" with a rotation speed of 1120 rpm and welding traveling speed of 5.3 mm/s. The samples were characterized by optical microscopy, microhardness testing and tensile test. The results showed that the weld bead is asymmetric, with an area 20% higher in the advancing side. Moreover, a grain refining process occurred in the weld bead and, in the transition region between thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and heat affected zone (HAZ) the elongated grains presented a shape factor higher in the advancing side (1,73 to 2,74) than in the retrieving side (1,40 to 1,59). Also, the thermomechanically affected zone and the heat affected zone presented a larger width in the advancing side than in the retrieving side.