Friction Stir Welding/Processing Tool Materials and Selection

Abstract

Making a choice in selection of friction stir welding/processing (FSW/P) tool material has become an important task which determines the quality of the weld produced. The tool material selection depends on the tool material operational characteristics such as operational temperature, wear resistance and fracture toughness which therefore determine the type of materials which can be joined. In this research, several tool materials have been analysed and the materials which they could be used to join have also been outlined. Soft materials can be easily welded using tool steels while harder materials need harder tool materials such as carbide based materials and polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN)