Investigation of AA6061-T6's mechanical and microstructural properties by modification on the tool path in friction stir welding

Abstract

Friction stir welding employs an axis-lead tool movement pattern, in which the tool revolves around its axis while moving in the xy plane at the same time. As a process, every tool may come into prolonged contact with the workpiece. Because of this, the two parent materials are completely mixed, yielding a high-quality weld. This study attempted to characterize the butt joints of AA6061-T6, 6 mm thick sheets using axis-lead (xy tool movement) on friction stir welding. The importance of specific tool movement patterns was examined by mechanical testing, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and microstructure analysis. A combination of 1500 rpm, 1.0 mm step size, and 150 mm/minute weaving rate was found to have excellent mechanical attributes. By combining a square wave tool pattern with a 1.0 mm step size, microstructural studies revealed improved grain refinement and homogeneous dispersion of micro components. The results revealed that 1.0 step size /150 mm/minute /1200 rpm combination parameters exhibited the highest tensile strength of 232 N/mm² and hardness value of 76 HV. The use of a square wave tool pattern provided improved grain refinement and homogeneous dispersion of micro components and confirmed the performance of the axis-lead approach in a normal manner.