This paper presents the analysis of the friction stir-processed aluminium alloy 5083-H111 gas tungsten arc-welded and friction stir-welded joints. The comparative analysis was performed on the processed and unprocessed gas tungsten arc-welded and friction stir-welded joints of similar aluminium alloy 5083-H111. The results showed a clear distinction between the friction stir processed joints and unprocessed joints. There is a good correlation observed between the microstructural results and the tensile results. Ultrafine grain sizes of 4.62 μm and 7.177 μm were observed on the microstructure of the friction stir-processed friction stir-welded and gas tungsten arc-welded joints. The ultimate tensile strength for friction stir-welded and gas tungsten arc-welded before friction stir processing was 153.75 and 262.083 MPa, respectively. The ultimate tensile strength for friction stir processed friction stir-welded joint was 303.153 MPa and gas tungsten arc-welded joints one was 249.917 MPa. The microhardness values for the unprocessed friction stir-welded and gas tungsten arc-welded joints were both approximately 87 HV, while those of the friction stir-processed ones were 86.5 and 86 HV, respectively. The application of friction stir processing transformed the gas tungsten arc morphology from brittle to ductile dimples and reduced the ductile dimple size of the unprocessed friction stir-welded joints from the range of 4.90–38.33 μm to 3.35–15.59 μm.
There is an increase in reducing the weight of structures through the use of aluminium alloys in different industries like aerospace, automotive, etc. This growing interest will lead towards using dissimilar aluminium alloys which will require welding. Currently, tungsten inert gas welding and friction stir welding are the well-known techniques suitable for joining dissimilar aluminium alloys. The welding of dissimilar alloys has its own dynamics which impact on the quality of the weld. This then suggests that there should be a process which can be used to improve the welds of dissimilar alloys post their production. Friction stir processing is viewed as one of the techniques that could be used to improve the mechanical properties of a material. This paper reports on the status and the advancement of friction stir welding, tungsten inert gas welding and the friction stir processing technique. It further looks at the variation use of friction stir processing on tungsten inert gas and friction stir welded joints with the purpose of identifying the knowledge gap.
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