Remanufacturing the AA5052 GTAW Welds Using Friction Stir Processing

Abstract

Progress in sustainable manufacturing is a crucial element to minimise negative environmental impacts. The conventional fusion weld process used to join aluminium alloys resulted in coarse grain structure, inevitable defects, and severe joint softening. Friction stir processing (FSP) has the potential to modify the microstructure of materials in joint structure and improve the mechanical properties. In this investigation, the effect of friction stir post–processing was evaluated to study the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of GTAW (gas tungsten arc welding) welds in the aluminium 5052 alloy. During FSP, the grains’ dendritic microstructure was destroyed, and the dynamic recrystallisation resulted in a very fine and equiaxed grains structure in the fusion zone. The hardness of the friction-stir-processed welds significantly improved because of microstructure grain refinement. The processed joint demonstrated higher ultimate tensile and yield strength (~275 MPa and 221 MPa, respectively) and superior elongation (31.1%) compared to the unprocessed weld; at the same time, the mechanical strength (yield and ultimate tensile) is similar to that of the base metal.

A novel hybrid approach to develop bioresorbable material

“…A standard GTAW setup comprises of (a) a DC/AC power source which delivers the welding current, (b) a welding torch having a tungsten electrode and gas nozzle (as shown in Fig. 2) [39][40] and (c) inert shielding gas (Ar) supply shields the molten metal pool. The details of the conditions used in GTAW process is shown in Table - The plates after depositing Zn layer through GTAW need to be subjected to various tests to establish composition of processed region.…”

Effect of Process Parameters on Weld Quality in Vortex- Friction Stir Welding of 6061-T6 Aluminum Alloy

“…This increases the operational and maintenance costs. If the component with defects can return to service by repair, the lifetime of the component is prolonged [ 9 , 10 ]. Therefore, high-quality repair processes are very necessary for aluminum alloy components.…”

Effect of Initial Grain Size on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of In Situ Hybrid Aluminium Nanocomposites Fabricated by Friction Stir Processing

“…Additionally, considering the simplicity of the process, FSP has the potential to be used for homogenisation, fabrication of fine-grained alloys, surface treatment, and fabricating the hybrid metal matrix composites [11][12][13]. All mentioned benefits, alongside the possibility of automation of the process, recently made the FSP a candidate to be used in remanufacturing [14].…”