TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER NO.

TITLE

PAGE NO.

ABSTRACT
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
LIST OF SYMBOLS
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
1

INTRODUCTION

1.1

Overview

1.2

Significance

1.3

Motivations

1.4

Objectives

LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1

Friction Stir Welding

2.2

Friction Stir Processing

2.3

Taxonomy for FSP

2.4

Principle of FSP

11

2.4.1

14

2.5

2.6
3

Microstructural zones in FSP

Process Parameters

16

2.5.1

Welding speed

16

2.5.2

Tool spindle speed

19

2.5.3

Clamping mechanism

20

2.5.4

Tool displacement forces

20

2.5.5

Angle of tool inclination

20

2.5.6

Dwell time

23

Plunge depth

WORKPIECE AND TOOL

23
25

3.1

7075 Aluminium alloy

25

3.2

Properties of AA7075

25

3.2.1 Fracture toughness

27

3.2.2 Fatigue properties

28

3.2.3 Fatigue crack growth

28

3.2.4 Corrosion resistance

29

3.2.5 Thermal treatment

30

3.3

Applications of AA7075

30

3.4

Friction stir tool

31

3.4.1 Tool shoulders

32

3.4.2 Shoulder features

32

3.4.3 Tool probe/pin

33

3.4.4 Tool materials

33

Tool steel

34

3.5.1 High Carbon Chromium, D Type

34

3.5.2 D2 Steel properties

35

Heat treatment

37

3.6.1 Heat treatment procedure

38

3.5

3.6
4

PRELIMINARY TESTS
4.1

Introduction

39

4.2

Optical Emission Spectroscopy

40

4.3

Hardness testing

41

4.4

Tensile testing

43

4.4.1 Sample preparation

43

4.4.2 Mechanical testing

43

4.5

Optical microscopy

45

4.6

FSP machine

37

DETERMINATION OF OPTIMUM TOOL PIN PROFILE

5.1

39

48

Microstructure analysis of FS processed zones

48

5.1.1 Process 1 (Threaded pin tool)

48

5.1.2 Process 1 (Knurled pin tool)

49

5.1.3 Process 1 (Triangular pin tool)

50

5.1.4 Process 1 (Hexagonal pin tool)

52

5.2

Macrostructure analysis of FS processed zones

53

5.3

Hardness survey of workpiece after FSP

53

5.4

Summary

54

DETERMINAITON OF OPTIMIM PROCESS PARAMETERS 55

6.1

Microstructure analysis of FS processed zones

55

6.1.1 Process 1 (Threaded pin tool)

55

6.1.2 Process 1 (Knurled pin tool)

56

6.1.3 Process 1 (Triangular pin tool)

58

6.1.4 Process 1 (Hexagonal pin tool)

59

6.2

Macrostructure analysis of FS processed zones

61

6.3

Hardness survey of workpiece after FSP

61

6.4

Summary

62

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

63

7.1

Selection of optimum pin profile

7.2Selection of optimum processing speed

8

CONCLUSION

63
63
65