Recent Developments in the Friction Stir Welding of Titanium Alloys

This paper describes recent developments in the joining of titanium alloys using Friction Stir Welding (FSW). Titanium alloys represent an extremely challenging application for FSW, due to their high strength, high melting point, and very low thermal conductivity. Recent work at TWI has resulted in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Welding in the world 2008, Vol.52 (9-10), p.12-15
Main Authors: Russell, M. J., Blignault, C., Horrex, N. L., Wiesner, C. S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemistry and Materials Science
Materials Science
Metallic Materials
Solid Mechanics
Technical Paper
Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
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Summary:This paper describes recent developments in the joining of titanium alloys using Friction Stir Welding (FSW). Titanium alloys represent an extremely challenging application for FSW, due to their high strength, high melting point, and very low thermal conductivity. Recent work at TWI has resulted in the invention of a new variant of FSW, named Stationary Shoulder Friction Stir Welding (SSFSW), which has been specifically designed for the joining of high temperature, low conductivity, materials. This paper describes the new SSFSW approach, and shows examples of the significantly improved results which are now being achieved in the joining of titanium alloys. Samples of butt and lap welds in Ti-6Al-4V are shown, produced using both 1D and 2D welding paths. Examples are also included which demonstrate the potential for additive manufacture of Ti parts by multiple SSFSW. The ongoing development of SSFSW offers the potential for a new joining and/or additive manufacturing process for Ti alloys, which may result in significant technical and economic advantages.
ISSN:0043-2288
1878-6669
DOI:10.1007/BF03266662