Effect of the rotational speed of on the surface quality of 6061 Al-alloy welded joint using friction stir welding

The rotational speed of the stir-welding head is an important technological parameter in friction stir welding (FSW) process. For investigating the effect of the rotational speed of the stir-welding head on the surface quality of the welded joint, in this study, the weld tests were conducted under different rotational speeds (in which the welding speed was fixed), and then the effects were analyzed using the heat-fluid analysis model established. The test results revealed that cracks or grooves could be observed on the welded joint at small rotational speeds; with the increase of rotational speed, the weld surface became bright and clean; as the rotational speed further increased, the surface of the welded joint may be over burnt. Through analysis, it can be observed that appropriate increasing the rotational speed of the stir-welding joint increased the heat input in welding; meanwhile, fewer materials participated in the formation of weld, the material's flowability was improved, and the resistance that impeded the advance of the stir-welding needle was reduced, thereby improving the quality of the welded joint.