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Friction stir channeling in AA6082 and AA2024 dissimilar alloys

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DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.03.237

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 Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 9469–9473

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Materials Today: Proceedings

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/matpr

Friction stir channeling in AA6082 and AA2024 dissimilar alloys

Pankaj Vishwakarma a, Vikas Upadhyay a,⇑, Chaitanya Sharma b, Mohd. Zaheer Khan Yusufzai c
a
Mechanical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology Patna, India
b
Mechanical Engineering Department, RJIT, BSF Academy Tekanpur, Gwalior, India
c
Mechanical Engineering Department, IIT BHU, Varanasi, India

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: This work presents the effect of rotary speed (RS) and traverse speed (TS) on channel characteristics and
Received 16 November 2019 weld tensile strength during simultaneous channeling and friction stir welding of dissimilar aluminium
Received in revised form 6 March 2020 alloys 6082 and 2024. TS had discernible effect on the location of channels and shifted the same from
Accepted 11 March 2020
advancing side to retreating side of weld joint. The effect of TS on channel area was found reverse to that
Available online 8 April 2020
of RS up to mid value of investigated range and beyond that they followed the same trend. RS had more
dominating effect on the channel area than TS. The effect of TS and RS on channel perimeter was identical
Keywords:
to that on channel area. It is possible to control the shape and size of channels and also their location by
Friction stir channeling
Channel size
selecting proper combination of processing parameters during simultaneous friction stir channelling and
Process parameters welding of dissimilar aluminium alloys.
Dissimilar alloys Ó 2019 Elsevier Ltd.
Tensile Strength Selection and Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Mechan-
Channel geometry ical Engineering Congress 2019: Materials Science.

1. Introduction
Friction Stir Channeling (FSC) is the process of generating a con-
tinuous integral channel within plates. This method was invented
by Mishra et al. [1] by utilizing the positive aspect of tunnel defect
formation in friction stir welded joints. Tunnel defect which is sim-
ply a void existing along the weld length was fruitfully utilised by
converting it into a continuous channel. Thus, FSC can be advanta-
geously used as a manufacturing technique for channel formation
in various heat exchanger applications [2]. In FSC, a specifically
designed and machined tool is rotated and gradually plunged into
the workpiece and moved along a predetermined path to generate
a channel by utilizing the heat produced due to friction between
the tool and workpiece. The size of channel was found to be
affected by welding parameters, clearance space and tool geome-
try. The orientation of thread and tool rotation was selected to pro-
duce an upward motion of material e.g. clockwise rotation of right
hand threaded tool or vice versa (Fig. 1). The initial FSC process is
similar to friction stir welding (FSW) with few differences that
instead of material flowing downward in FSW, it flows upward in
FSC and another one is that a clearance space is maintained
between shoulder and work piece for deposition of material com-
⇑ Corresponding author.
E-mail address: vikasupadhyay.agra@gmail.com (V. Upadhyay).
ing from the base of pin [3]. In this mode of FSC, the metal coming
out from nugget zone get deposited at the top of processed surface
and requires milling to maintain same initial level of surfaces.
Vilaca et al. [4] produced channels by eliminating the clearance
between top surface of workpiece and rotating tool shoulder to
deposit the flowing material outside the processing zone as toe
flash. Channel area decreased with increase in RS and vice versa
with TS. FSC not only created the channel but also modified the
hardness around the channel [5]. Tilt angle was kept at zero degree
during above FSC processes, however FSC with tilt angle and thread
less pin was also reported and termed as Modified Friction Stir
Channelling (MFSC). The use of upward conical pin in MFSC
resulted in removal of step defect from channel roof and increased
the height and hydraulic diameter of channel as compared to
straight cylindrical pin [6]. The tool tilt was reported as an effective
factor to forge the material behind the tool-pin at advancing side
and upper part of channel roof imperfections [7]. Hybrid friction
stir channelling represents the simultaneous development of chan-
nels during welding of multiple plates. It was reported that HFSC is
a feasible technique to make close internal channels of large
dimensions during joining of two overlapped plates. Also, channels
generated by HFSC provided better cooling as compared to similar
channels produced by milling [8].
The shape, size and integrity of channels get influenced by RS,
TS, shoulder geometry, pin length and geometry, downward axial

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.03.237
2214-7853/Ó 2019 Elsevier Ltd.
Selection and Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Mechanical Engineering Congress 2019: Materials Science.
9470 P. Vishwakarma et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 9469–9473

Fig. 1. Schematic of friction stir channelling.

force, plunge depth, etc. [3,5]. Clockwise rotation of a tool having
right hand threaded pin transports softened and deformed mate-
rial from the lower region of stir zone i.e. from pin bottom to the
tool shoulder and deposition of this material at the top of stir zone
does not fills lower region of stir zone around pin bottom i.e. chan-
nel roof thus creates channels in stir zone. The channel is formed
due to lost volume of displaced material from the pin base in each
rotation of tool [5,7]. Pandya et al. [9] studied the material flow by
using X-Ray micro-computed tomography and optical microscopy.
They reported that five distinct regions namely advancing and
retreating side channel wall, channel roof and bottom, and top por-
tion of channel roof are responsible for formation of four sides of
the channel.
It is evident from the above literature review that FSC is still in
the development phase and is continuously evolving. The simulta-
neous formation of channels during welding of plates requires a
detailed study to mature this technique. The present work not only
explores the effect of RS and TS on channel area and perimeter
formed during welding of two dissimilar plates of AA6082 and
AA2024 but also studies their effect on weld strength.
2. Experimental details
AA6082-T6 and AA2024-T3 plates were cut to dimension of
240 mm  50 mm  6.35 mm. Percentage composition of the con-
stituents of the AA 6082 and AA 2024 are given in Table 1 and
Table 2 respectively.
Simultaneous channelling and welding (SCW) was carried out
on a 3T-NC FSW machine. The plates mounted in the fixture is
shown in Fig. 2. SCW was carried out with cylindrical right hand
threaded tool at 8 KN plunge force and at a tilt angle of 0°. Clock-
wise rotation of tool-pin with right hand threads extrude the mate-
rial in upward direction, thus increases the possibility of channel
formation.
The H13 tool material was used for FSW tool. Flat shoulder had
a diameter of 18 mm, whereas tool pin length and diameter were
6 mm each with cylindrical right handed thread of pitch 1 mm.
In order to achieve specific hardness, a heat treatment cycle was
Fig. 2. Experimental setup for friction stir channeling.
Table 3
Parameters used in SCW.
Parameter Range / Fixed value
Rotary Speed (rpm) 500, 1000, 1500
1
Traverse Speed (mm.min ) 40, 60, 80
Tilt Angle (o) 0
Plunge force (KN) 8
applied to tool. The tool was heated to a temperature of 1050 °C
and soaked there for 30 min. Tool was then cooled in ambient air
to 50 °C and then left inside the closed furnace at 550 °C for 2 h fol-
lowed by air cooling [10]. The AA6082-T6 material has lower
strength as compared to the AA2024-T3, and thus placed on
advancing side for proper mixing. Simultaneous Channeling and
Welding was carried out at following parameters presented in
Table 3.
The specimen for tensile testing were machined on wire electric
discharge machine following ASTM E8M-16 guidelines. Three sam-
ples were tested on computerized universal testing machine of 25
kN capacity employing a strain rate of 1 mm/min.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Channel geometry
The photographs of the cross-section of dissimilar friction stir
weld joints of AA2024 and AA6082 aluminium alloys perpendicu-
lar to weld direction are presented in Fig. 3. The dissimilar alloy
plates were metallurgically welded showing close mixing and join-
ing of the faying surfaces of plates however, a void running
through the length of weld joint was also observed. In general such
void occurring in friction stir welded joints, despite proper selec-
tion of process parameters and care are undesirable and termed
as defects. But, when process parameters are chosen beyond opti-

Table 1
Composition of AA6082.

Elements Si Fe Cu Mn Mg Cr Zn Ti Al
Percentage 0.9 0.24 0.07 0.7 0.7 0.06 0.04 0.05 Balance

Table 2
Composition of AA2024.

Elements Cr Fe Si Mg Mn Cu Zn Ti Al
Percentage 0.01 0.22 0.09 1.6 0.07 4.7 0.03 0.06 Balance
 P. Vishwakarma et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 9469–9473 9471

in Fig. 4. The percentage increase in channel area was 17.76% with

increase in TS from 40 to 60 mm.min 1. While further increase in
TS to 80 mm.min 1 from 60 mm.min 1 resulted in drastic decrease
of 57.56% in channel area.
The RS exhibited different influence on the channel area which
decreased with increase in RS. The increase in RS from 500 rpm to
1000 rpm decreased the channel area from 6.82 mm2 to 4.11 mm2.
The channel area decreased to 2.43 mm2 with further increase in
RS to 1500 rpm. Fig. 5 shows the variation of channel area and
perimeter with RS at constant TS of 60 mm.min 1. Nearly similar
percentage decrease (about 40%) was observed in channel area
for change in RS from 500 rpm to 1000 rpm and 1000 rpm to
1500 rpm.
The channel area increased with increase in TS from 40 mm.
min 1 to 60 mm.min 1 and then decreased up to 80 mm.min 1
at constant RS. Increase in TS at constant RS decreased the heat
input per unit length of weld which in turn reduced peak temper-
ature and retarded flowability of softened and deformed material.
Further, faster TS reduced the time to which material is subjected
to welding and reduced extent of consolidation of flowing plasti-
cised materials. Reduced flowability combined with lesser consol-
idation on account of faster TS can be credited for increase in the
Fig. 3. Geometry of friction stir channels obtained with various combinations of TS
and RS (a) 40 mm.min 1, 1000 rpm; (b) 60 mm.min 1, 1000 rpm; (c) 80 mm.min 1,
1000 rpm; (d) 60 mm.min 1, 500 rpm and (e) 60 mm.min 1, 1500 rpm. 8.0 15
Channel Area
7.5 Channel Perimeter 14
7.0
mum range to produce void or tunnel defect intentionally in fric- 13
6.5
tion stir welded/processed joints or specimens are called channels.

Channel Perimeter (mm)

6.0 12
The geometry (shape and size) of produced friction stir channels
Channel Area (mm )

5.5
2

was found to be strongly dependent on process parameters i.e. TS 11

and RS. At constant RS of 1000 rpm the increase in TS from 40 mm. 5.0
10
min 1 to 80 mm.min 1 changed the shape of channel from isosce- 4.5
les trapezium to triangular. Similar effect was observed for 4.0 9
increase in RS. At constant TS of 60 mm.min 1, the increase in RS 3.5 8
from 500 rpm to 1500 rpm also changed the shape of channel from 3.0
isosceles triangle to unequal quadrilateral or kite. At TS of 60 mm. 7
2.5
min 1 and RS of 1000 rpm the channel shape was flattened oval. 6
2.0
The increase in RS had no discernible effect on the location of chan-
nels as all the welded joints exhibited channels on advancing side. 1.5 5
40 50 60 70 80
While change in TS resulted in the change of location of channels. -1
The change in TS from 60 mm.min 1 to 80 mm.min 1 shifted Traverse Speed (mm.min )
slightly the location of channel from advancing side to retreating Fig. 4. Variation of channel area and channel perimeter with traverse speed.
side of weld joint. Rashidi et al. [6] also observed difference in
channel shape and attributed same to difference in material flow.
Increase in RS at constant TS increased the heat generation per unit
time leading to better stirring, mixing and flow of material. While
8.0 15
at constant RS, the increase in TS reduced the time of material Channel Area
7.5
welding hence lowered the peak temperature and weaken the Channel Perimeter 14
transport of material to the back of tool from front to complete 7.0
13
welding. Thus increase in RS at constant TS increased heat input 6.5
in unit length of weld and so leads to greater peak temperature 12
Channel Perimeter (mm)

6.0
and higher flowability whereas a reverse effect was reported for
Channel Area (mm )

5.5
2

11
increase in TS [11–13]. Hence, varying degree of stirring and soft-
5.0
ening with change in process parameters greatly varied flow pat- 10
4.5
tern near tool shoulder and around pin which changed the shape
4.0 9
and location of friction stir channel.
3.5 8
3.2. Channel area 3.0
7
2.5
The geometrical features of friction stir channels were found to 6
2.0
vary with the TS and RS. The channel area was found to increase 1.5 5
from 3.49 mm2 to 4.11 mm2 with increase in TS from 40 mm.min 1 300 500 700 900 1100 1300 1500
to 60 mm.min 1. Further, increase in TS to 80 mm.min 1 decreased Rotary Speed (RPM)
the channel area to 1.74 mm2. The variation of channel area and
perimeter with increase in TS at constant RS of 1000 rpm is shown Fig. 5. Variation of channel area and channel perimeter with rotary speed.
9472
channel size with increase in TS. Crawford et al. [14] reported
increase in wormhole defects size with increase in welding speed.
However, at higher level of TS, decrease in channel area may be
attributed to insufficient time for the material to come out from
the nugget zone.
Similar trend of RS was reported by Vidal et al. [5], for friction
stir channels made in monolithic plate of aeronautical grade alu-
minium alloy AA7178-T6 but the observed trend of TS was some-
what different from this i.e. instead of increase in area with
increasing TS it first increased slightly and then decreased.
3.3. Channel perimeter
It is evident from Figs. 4 and 5 that perimeter of channel
increased when TS is increased from 40 mm.min 1 to 60 mm.
min 1. But further increase in the TS to 80 mm.min 1 decreased
the perimeter drastically by 42.2%. RS also affected the channel
perimeter which decreased with increase in RS as shown in
Fig. 6. The channel perimeter decreased by 51.2% with change in
RS from 500 rpm to 1500 rpm. Lower RS was found more effective
to produce channel of larger perimeter than lower TS.
The effect of TS and RS on channel perimeter was identical to
that on channel area. The perimeter was proportional to area of
the channel i.e. higher is the area larger will be the perimeter of
the channel. At lower TS pin spent more time (i.e. twice) than high-
est TS with the material and is expected to transport greater
amount of material upward. Owing to larger heat input at high
RS, the extent of softening is greater and flowability of the material
is better than at low RS. This resulted in easier flow and good com-
paction leading to smaller channel area and perimeter. While at
low RS, smaller heat input does not provide adequate flowability
causing sluggish flow and produced channel of larger area and
perimeter.
3.4. Tensile strength
The influence of TS and RS as well as channel area on the tensile
strength of friction stir weld with channel is presented in Figs. 6
and 7 respectively.
The trend of variation of tensile strength with TS was found
similar to its effect on channel area and perimeter while that of
RS was different. The tensile strength increased from 132.86 to
180
170
Tensile Strength (MPa)
160
150
140
130
120
40/3.49 60/4.11
Traverse Speed (mm/min) / Channel Area (mm )
Fig. 6. Tensile strength variation with traverse speed and channel area.
P. Vishwakarma et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 9469–9473
180 Tensile Strength
170
Tensile Strength (MPa)
160
150
140
130
120
500/6.82 1000/4.11 1500/1.74
2
Rotary Speed (RPM) / Channel Area (mm )
Fig. 7. Tensile strength variation with rotary speed and channel area.
173.33 MPa with increase in TS from 40 mm.min 1 to 60 mm.
min 1, further increase in TS to 120 mm.min 1 decreased the ten-
sile strength to 142.53 MPa. Similarly, when RS is increased from
500 to 1000 rpm, tensile strength increased to 173.33 from
149.49 MPa. Though, further increase in rotary speed to
1500 rpm decreased the tensile strength marginally to
171.93 MPa but it seems to be unaffected by increase in RS. Sur-
prisingly, highest tensile strength were obtained for welds with
largest channel size or perimeter.
4. Conclusions
This work is the first attempt to obtain continuous integral lin-
ear channel in dissimilar joints of AA2024 and AA6082 aluminium
alloys. The main conclusions of this research work are as follows.
 Continuous and linear channels of dissimilar materials were
successfully obtained without any gap between tool shoulder
and top surface of plates.
 Change in processing parameters, RS and TS amends the chan-
nel shape as evident from trapezoidal, oval, triangular and kite
Tensile Strength (rhombus) shaped channels.
 TS and RS have significant effect on channel perimeter, channel
area and tensile strength of welds. The increase in TS first
increased the channel perimeter, area and tensile strength and
then further increase decreased the same while increase in RS
continuously decreased all above parameters except tensile
strength.
 Varying flow pattern near tool shoulder and around pin with
change in process parameters may be attributed for change in
the geometry and size of friction stir channel.
 The channel with largest area and perimeter was formed at RS
of 500 rpm and TS of 60 mm.min 1. The highest tensile strength
of 173.33 MPa was obtained at mid value of TS and RS.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
80/1.74 Pankaj Vishwakarma: Investigation, Writing - original
2 draft. Vikas Upadhyay: Supervision, Writing - review & editing.
Chaitanya Sharma: Formal analysis. Mohd. Zaheer Khan
Yusufzai: Resources.
 P. Vishwakarma et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 46 (2021) 9469–9473
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgement
The support provided by Science and Engineering Research
Board, DST, GOI through Grant No. ECR/2016/001738 to carry out
this research work is thankfully acknowledged.
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