Temperature Profile in the stir zone of Friction Stir Welds Majid Abbasi Jian Lu MEEN 340 course project

What is Friction Stir Welding or Processing (FSW/P): This process is based on inserting a rotating tool to the weld seam. The produced frictional heat causes severe plastic deformation on materials adjacent to the rotating tool and joining is accomplished by traversal movement of the tool along the weld seam.

Purpose: Estimation of the temperature (peak temperature and its profile) in the Stir Zone by using a simple heat generation model. Why: because measurement of temperature in this zone is very hard.

Assumptions: No heat conduction to the base plate (complete insulation) Unidirectional heat conduction No heat radiation No heat conduction to the tool No free convection at the top surface No heat convection by the shielding gas Using heat generation model to simulate generated heat by friction and plastic deformation Neglecting effects of latent heat of phase transformation using a simple geometry for the stir zone

Results:

Conclusions The maximum temperature is degree C which is close to maximum temperatures reported by some researchers. These researchers guessed that this temperature should be between 1100 to 1200 degree C regardless of process parameters. This range of temperature is necessary to obtain some microstructures seen in this zone after cooling. By considering heat lost which is neglected by our assumptions, the actual temperature should be in this range (at least, I hope that it is in this range) Thanks