Friction Spot Welding (FSpW) is a new solid-state joining process able to produce similar and dissimilar overlap connections in different classes of materials. Advantages of this new technique are: short production cycles, high performance joints, absence of filler materials and good surface finishing supported by material refilling in the spot area. Although few authors have addressed the microstructural and mechanical behavior of friction spot welds of Aluminum alloys, there is still a lack of a systematic evaluation on the process-properties relationship. In this work the AA2024-T3 alloy (rolled sheets) was selected for the welding procedure. Design of Experiment and Analyses of Variance techniques were employed to evaluate joint shear strength under static loading. Sound joints with elevated shear strength were achieved and the influence of the main process parameters on joint strength evaluated.

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) imparts both heat and deformation to the metal being joined, producing profound microstructural changes that determine the weld properties. In the case of welding of aerospace aluminium alloys, the most important change is the modification of the size, nature, and fraction of strengthening precipitates. To understand these changes requires the ability to measure the microstructural evolution during the welding process. This paper describes a new tool, the FlexiStir system, a portable friction stir unit designed for use in a high-energy synchrotron beamline that enables in-situ studies of microstructural evolution during FSW. FlexiStir has been used to measure precipitate evolution during FSW of aluminium alloy 7449-TAF and provide time-resolved measurement of precipitate size and volume fraction via small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). These measurements have been interpreted with the aid of a previously developed microstructural model. The

In recent years, interest has been increasing in application of Nickel alloys in the oil industry. For subsea engineering, the possibility to weld high-strength materials in an effective manner is essential. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is alternative to join several materials retaining their properties or even improving them. This fact is relevant for Corrosion-Resistant Alloys (CRA) used in deep-water exploitation of hydrocarbons. Publications up to now have focused on FSW of Inconel R series as alloy 600, 625, and 718. To provide a solid basis for development, this review discusses the crucial points for FSW. The tool materials are described, as well as the joint microstructure and properties achieved. Furthermore, the basics of the corrosion resistance and the early corrosion studies of FSW joints are presented. It is concluded that FSW is a promising process for Ni alloys, but depends on upcoming research regarding tool technology and corrosion investigations.

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Tailor welded blanks (TWB) in Al alloys are an attractive structural solution for application in the shipbuilding sector, mainly due to reductions in weight and lower production costs. In the present study, the global and local mechanical properties of dissimilar friction stir welded TWB were assessed. The joints were manufactured with dissimilar Al-Mg alloys and thicknesses (6 and 8 mm) of particular interest to the shipbuilding sector (AA5083 and AA5059). A digital image correlation system (DIC) linked to a tensile test system was used to characterise the local strain fields, and true stress-strain curves were generated for several TWB sub-zones. Microhardness and DIC analyses showed that the stir zone of the TWB presented overmatching in relation to the weakest base material, and that the joints displayed excellent overall mechanical performance that was comparable to the AA5059 base material in terms of strength and ductility. The fatigue strength was evaluated by means of tension-tension fatigue tests, and the TWB joints reached the fatigue keen with a stress range of 70MPa.

The feasibility of dissimilar friction stir welding between Ti-6Al-4V alloy and AISI 304 austenitic stainless steels was investigated. Sound joints were achieved when placing titanium as the upper workpiece of the lap configuration. Joints were successfully produced by employing a welding speed of 1 mm/s and rotational speeds of 300 and 500 rpm. A lamellar microstructure was formed in the stir zone of Ti-6Al-4V, where grain size was found to increase with increasing rotational speed, and austenitic equiaxed grains were obtained near the interface of 304 stainless steels coupon. SEM-EDS analysis of the interface revealed a thin intermixed region and suggested intermetallic compound formation. Microhardness data in the titanium weld zone for both rotational speeds exhibited slightly lower values than the base material, with the lowest values in the heat affected zone, whereas the microhardness values in the stainless steel side around the weld center were found to be higher than those obtained for the base material.