Microstructural characterization and mechanical property determination of overlap friction stir welding of aluminum and copper

In this study, aluminum alloy 1050 and pure copper plates have been welded as dissimilar alloy overlap joints by using Friction Stir Welding (FSW) with different welding speeds and keeping other parameters constant in order to investigate mechanical and microstructural properties and determine the optimum welding speed.First of all, general information is given about FSW like tool geometries, rotational speed, welding speed, travel angle, work angle and axial force, and joint design like butt, overlap, T, and fillets. Meanwhile, other studies have been researched about optimization of FSW process parameters, material flow, modeling, temperature distribution, microstructural evaluation distribution in nugget zone, thermomechanically affected zone and heat-affected zone, and residual stress, hardness and mechanical properties. Improved application technologies are known as variations: FSP, laser shock peening, thermal, ultrasonic, spot, orbital, advance, channeling, laser-assisted, and double, twin or multi FSW. In other chapters, the information about aluminum and copper properties, and industrial applications of FSW in marine, automotive, railway, aircraft, aerospace, pipeline, electrical, nuclear and construction are given. Advantages, disadvantages, economical maturing and expectations of FSW are discussed.The aim is to examine the effect of the welding speeds on microstructural and mechanical properties, and mechanical tests were carried out on the welded areas of the parts. Tensile shear tests of the joints utilized to obtain for determining stress distribution. The best mechanical properties joint has been obtained at the higher welding speed.