Determination of the traverse force in friction stir welding with different tool pin profiles

Abstract

A methodology is developed for the estimation of the traverse force in friction stir welding (FSW) for various pin profiles by combining the results of numerical modelling and experimental monitoring. The effect of pin profiles on the traverse force is evaluated by introducing a modified ratio of the plastic deformation zone, which is obtained by numerical modelling. The formula is validated with the experimental data in the literature and indicates that the traverse force decreases exponentially with increasing ratio of the plastic deformation zone. The proposed methodology provides a concise approach for the estimation of the traverse force for various pin profiles in FSW and can be adopted for the design and assessment of the FSW tool.