Experimentation and simulation process of friction stir welding for lightweight similar and dissimilar materials

Abstract

The emerging trends in advanced robust manufacturing trend need light and medium weight materials with higher strength for different purposes. The aluminum and copper alloys are the major construction material for different causes in aerospace, railway and shipbuilding industries. Joining of dissimilar material during built-up structures is one of the tough tasks of the manufacturer; joining of similar and dissimilar material can be effectively made in the Friction Stir Welding (FSW). In this research article made an attempt to find an optimal process parameter for lap joining process in FSW for Al 5052, Al 6061 joining with copper. The finite element simulation model of the lap joint designed, analyzed and simulated with consideration of various spindle speed of CNC machine, an optimal speed condition found and which is applied in during the manufacturing. The fabricated workpieces were tested and the results were compared with the simulated model result, it shows that the fabricated dissimilar materials workpieces are superior to the simulated results especially in tensile load conditions.