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This paper deals with analysis and comparison of the equivalent plastic strain and temperature fields in the aluminium alloy 2024 T3 welded joint, with macro/microstructure appearance and hardness profile. In the alloys hardened by heat treatment, grain size and particle size of the precipitate are functions of equivalent plastic strain, strain rate and temperature. By analyzing the equivalent plastic strain fields and temperature fields it is possible, to some extent, to capture the effect of welding parameters and thermo-mechanical conditions on grain structure, and therefore hardness and strength in the welded joint. A coupled thermo-mechanical model is applied to study the material behaviour during the linear welding stage of friction stir welding (FSW). Three-dimensional finite element (FE) model has been created in ABAQUS/Explicit software using the Johnson-Cook material law. The values of thermo-mechanical quantities during the welding stage are obtained from the numerical model and shown as distributions across the joint. The obtained values of these quantities are related to the microstructure of the joint zones and hardness distribution, and this relation is discussed.

The influence of friction stir welding parameters on thermo-mechanical behavior of the material during welding is analyzed. An aluminum alloy is considered (Al 2024 T351), and different rotating and welding speeds are applied. The finite element model consists of the working plate (Al alloy), backing plate and welding tool. The influence of the welding conditions on material behavior is taken into account the application of the Johnson-Cook material model. The rotation speed of the tool affects the results. If increased, it contributes to an increase of friction-generated heat intensity. The other component of the generated heat, which stems from the plastic deformation of the material, is negligibly changed. When the welding speed, i.e. tool translation speed, is increased, the intensity of friction-generated heat decreases, while the heat generation due to plastic deforming is becoming more pronounced. Summed, this leads to rather small change of the total generation. The changes of the heat generation influence both the temperature field and reaction force. Also, the inadequate selection of welding parameters resulted in occurrence of the defects (pores) in the model.

The influence of friction stir welding parameters on thermo-mechanical behavior of the material during welding is analyzed. An aluminum alloy is considered (Al 2024 T351), and different rotating and welding speeds are applied. The finite element model consists of the working plate (Al alloy), backing plate and welding tool. The influence of the welding conditions on material behavior is taken into account the application of the Johnson-Cook material model. The rotation speed of the tool affects the results. If increased, it contributes to an increase of friction-generated heat intensity. The other component of the generated heat, which stems from the plastic deformation of the material, is negligibly changed. When the welding speed, i.e. tool translation speed, is increased, the intensity of friction-generated heat decreases, while the heat generation due to plastic deforming is becoming more pronounced. Summed, this leads to rather small change of the total generation. The changes of the heat generation influence both the temperature field and reaction force. Also, the inadequate selection of welding parameters resulted in occurrence of the defects (pores) in the model.

The heat generated during friction stir welding process depends on plastic deformation of the material and friction between the tool and the material. In this work, heat generation is analysed with respect to the material velocity around the tool in Al alloy Al2024-T351 plate. The slip rate of the tool relative to the workpiece material is related to the frictional heat generated. The material velocity, on the other hand, is related to the heat generated by plastic deformation. During the welding process, the slippage is the most pronounced on the front part of the tool shoulder. Also, it is higher on the retreating side than on the advancing side. Slip rate in the zone around the tool pin has very low values, almost negligible. In this zone, the heat generation from friction is very low, because the material is in paste-like state and subjected to intensive plastic deformation. The material flow velocity around the pin is higher in the zone around the root of the pin. In the radial direction, this quantity increases from the pin to the periphery of the tool shoulder.

The aim of this work is to analyse the process of friction stir welding (FSW) of 3 mm thick aluminium plates made of high strength aluminium alloy - 2024 T3, as well as to assess the mechanical properties of the produced joints. Friction Stir Welding is a modern procedure which enables joining of similar and dissimilar materials in the solid state, by the combined action of heat and mechanical work. This paper presents an analysis of the experimental results obtained by testing the butt welded joints. Tensile strength of the produced joints is assessed, as well as the distribution of hardness, micro-and macrostructure through the joints (in the base material, nugget, heat affected zone and thermo-mechanically affected zone). Different combinations of the tool rotation speed and the welding speed are used, and the dependence of the properties of the joints on these parameters of welding technology is determined.