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Tool-pin profile effects on thermal and material flow in friction stir butt welding of AA2219-T87 plates: computational fluid dynamics model development and study

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Abstract

A three-dimensional coupled model in a Eulerian framework has been developed in COMSOL Multiphysics software and used to study the complex phenomena of thermal and material flow during the friction stir welding (FSW) process. The moving heat source (tool) effect is modelled using a coordinate transformation. The frictional heat as a function of temperature-dependent yield strength of AA2219-T87 material and the deformation energy of plasticized material flow are considered. Further, the plasticized material flow around the rotating tool is modelled as non-Newtonian fluid using partial-sticking/sliding boundary condition with a computed slip factor (δ) at the workpiece-tool material interfaces. The coupled Eulerian model prediction accuracy has been validated against the experimental weldment zones and found a good agreement in terms of the shape and size. Subsequently, the effects of tool-pin profiles (cylindrical and conical) on thermal distribution, material flow, shear strain rates, thermal histories, and weldment zones were studied. It is found that the maximum temperatures, material flow velocities, and shear strain rates are low with the conical tool pin in contrast to the cylindrical one, and it is partly attributed to increased mixing of shoulder and pin-driven material flow around the rotating tool, which in turn decreased the size of weldment zones. Also, the maximum temperatures, material flow velocities, and shear strain rates on the advancing side are higher than those of the retreating side. Therefore, it is suggested to use the CFD model to design the FSW process and tool parameters in a cost-effective way in contrast to the tedious experimental route.

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Abbreviations

AS:

Advancing side

CFD:

Computational fluid dynamics

C p :

Specific heat (J/kg ∙ K)

DSC:

Differential scanning calorimetry

D, d :

Shoulder diameter, pin diameter

F :

Volume force source term (N/m3)

FE:

Finite element

FSW:

Friction stir welding

HAZ:

Heat-affected zone

H :

Tool-pin height (mm)

h conv :

Heat transfer coefficient (W/m2 ∙ K)

k :

Thermal conductivity (W/m ∙ K)

MUMPS:

Multifrontal massively parallel sparse

p :

Pressure (Pa)

PARDISO:

Parallel Sparse Direct Solver

q :

Heat flux (W/m2)

Q vd :

Viscous dissipation energy (W/m3)

r :

Radius (mm)

RS:

Retreating side; rotational speed (rpm)

SS:

Stainless steel

t :

Time (s)

T :

Temperature (K)

TMAZ:

Thermomechanically affected zone

TS:

Traverse speed (mm/min)

TWI:

The Welding Institute

T m :

Melting temperature (K)

u :

Velocity component (m/s)

u :

Velocity vector (m/s)

μ app :

Apparent viscosity (kg/m ∙ s)

u trans :

Translational (traverse) speed (m/s)

v :

Velocity component (m/s)

WNZ:

Weld nugget zone

x, y, z :

Space coordinates (m)

ρ :

Density (kg/m3)

ꞷ :

Angular velocity (rad/s)

δ :

Slip factor

∆T :

Temperature difference (K)

σ y :

Yield strength (N/m2)

\(\dot{\gamma}\) :

Shear strain rate (1/s)

∇:

Vector differential operator

b:

Bottom

m:

Melting

p:

Pin

s:

Shoulder

t:

Tool, top

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Funding

The present work was supported by the grant received from the Aeronautics Research and Development Board (AR&DB), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India (project no. ARDB/01/2032007/M/I).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500078, India

    Ramana Murthy Bagadi & Jeevan Jaidi

  2. Modelling and Simulation Group, Defence Metallurgical Research Lab (DMRL), Hyderabad, Telangana, 500058, India

    Atmakur Venugopal Rao & Suresh Dadulal Meshram

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  1. Ramana Murthy Bagadi
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Model development, simulations, and analysis were done by Ramana Murthy Bagadi and Jeevan Jaidi. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Ramana Murthy Bagadi and Jeevan Jaidi and subsequently revised by Atmakur Venugopal Rao, and Suresh Dadulal Meshram. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Jeevan Jaidi.

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Bagadi, R.M., Jaidi, J., Rao, A.V. et al. Tool-pin profile effects on thermal and material flow in friction stir butt welding of AA2219-T87 plates: computational fluid dynamics model development and study. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 131, 5881–5896 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-024-13353-w

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