A Comparison Study between Friction Stir Welding and Metal Inert Gas Welding in Joining Similar Al-Al Strips

Abstract

In this study, two sets of pure aluminum strips 3 mm in thickness were friction stir welding (FSW) together in a regular Butt joint pattern. Two rotational speeds of 1750 RPM and 2720 RPM were utilized to perform the welding process. The transverse speed and the axial load were kept constant at 45 mm/min and 6.5 kN respectively. As a welding tool, cylindrical shoulder and pin geometry was selected. For comparison purposes other similar strip pair sets were butt welded using the conventional metal inert gas arc welding technique (MIGAW). The welding quality, power input, microstructure, macrostructure and the mechanical properties of the weld joints yielded from these two welding techniques were examined. The types of the fumes and the amount of the released gases during these two welding processes were measured and compared. The results proved that the solid state friction stir welding is clean, cost effective and environment friendly process as opposed to the conventional metal inert gas arc welding.