HSLA-65 (ASTM A945) is a new structural steel of interest to the Navy shipbuilding community. The feasibility of joining the alloy by the friction stir welding (FSW) process was assessed. Single-pass weldments in 6.4-mm plates and two-pass weldments in 12.7-mm plates were successfully made. The FS weldments were evaluated by performing transverse tensile and bend tests; hardness, Charpy V-notch toughness, and salt spray corrosion testing; and metallographic evaluations. The weldments exhibited satisfactory transverse weld tensile strength, ductility, Charpy Vnotch toughness, and hardness. Visual examination revealed no difference in salt spray corrosion rates between the stir zone, the heat-affected zone, and the parent material. The results indicate that FSW does indeed have potential for joining ferrous alloys in shipbuilding, which should promote further efforts in this area.
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