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Simulation of heat transfer and analysis of impact of tool pin geometry and tool speed during friction stir welding of AZ80A Mg alloy plates

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Abstract

Peak temperature arising during the joining of metals by friction stir welding (FSW) needs to be investigated along with other process parameters of FSW to understand their inevitable impact on joint quality. This investigational and experimental analysis aims to determine the impact of pin geometry and its rotational speed by formulating thermic mechanical process-based models to anticipate peak temperature and to compare it with actual values. Three distinctive pin geometries rotated at three speeds were used while other parameters were unchanged. The fitness and suitability of the model were verified by comparing the anticipated values with the experimental values. Macrographic and micrographic observations revealed that flawless joints with improved mechanical properties were fabricated at a peak temperature of 616 K (80 % melting temperature) when a taper cylindrical pin with a rotational speed of 818 rpm was employed. In addition, SEM analysis of the fractured specimen confirmed that failure of the defect free weldment occurred in brittle mode, indicating that preferred fusion of grains and their constituents occurred during the joining process.

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Abbreviations

Cp:

Volume of heat

ω:

Spinning speed of tool

Rshou :

Radius of the shoulder of the employed tools

Rpin :

Pin radius of the employed tools

S:

Length of side of square pin geometry of FSW tool

Qpin :

Amplitude of heat around the pin of the employed tools

Hpin :

Height of the pin profile of the employed tools

To :

Reference temperature (in Kelvin)

σ :

Stefan-Boltzmann constant

Tamb :

Ambience of temperature (in Kelvin) of air

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Acknowledgments

The authors earnestly recognize the financial aid extended by All India Council for Technical Education under the RPS Scheme for procuring a friction stir welding machine. The authors also express their heartfelt thankfulness to the Management and Department of Mechanical Engineering of S.A. Engineering College, Chennai, India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, St. Joseph College of Engineering, Sripeumbudur, 602 117, India

    S. D. Dhanesh Babu

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, S.A. Engineering College, Chennai, 600 077, India

    P. Sevvel & R. Senthil Kumar

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  1. S. D. Dhanesh Babu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Sevvel.

Additional information

Dhanesh Babu S. D. completed his Master’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering from College of Engineering Guindy Campus, Anna University, Chennai, India. He is presently affiliated with St. Joseph College of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Department as Assistant Professor and is pursuing his Ph.D. in the area of friction stir welding of light weight metals, especially Mg alloys.

Sevvel P. received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Anna University in 2016. He is currently serving as a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, S. A. Engineering College, Chennai, India. He is acting as a principal investigator for two funded projects (worth Rs. 31. 75 Lakhs) received from DST and TNSCST. He has published more than 27 research papers on FSW, composites, EDM, and so on in various reputed SCI and Scopus indexed journals and three patent grants in his name.

Senthil Kumar R. received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Anna University in 2018. He is currently serving as Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, S.A. Engineering College, Chennai, India. His areas of research include solar energy, solar photovoltaic panel thermoelectric cooling, PV materials, CFD, FEA, and so on and has published more than seven research papers on these areas in various reputed SCI and Scopus indexed journals and one patent grant in his name.

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Babu, S.D.D., Sevvel, P. & Kumar, R.S. Simulation of heat transfer and analysis of impact of tool pin geometry and tool speed during friction stir welding of AZ80A Mg alloy plates. J Mech Sci Technol 34, 4239–4250 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0916-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-020-0916-7

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