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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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents experimental and numerical analysis of the change of temperature and force in the vertical direction during the friction stir welding of high-strength aluminium alloy 2024 T3. This procedure confirmed the correctness of the numerical model, which is subsequently used for analysis of the temperature field in the welding zone, where it is different to determine the temperature experimentally. 3D finite element model is developed using the software package Abaqus; arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation is applied. Johnson-Cook material law and Coulomb's Law of friction are used for modelling the material behaviour. Temperature fields are symmetrical with respect to the welding line. The temperature values below the tool shoulder, i. e. in the welding zone, which are reached during the plunge stage, are approximately constant during the entire welding process and lie within the interval 430-502 °C. The temperature of the material in the vicinity of the tool is about 500 °C, while the values on the top surface of the welding plates (outside the welding zone, but close to the tool shoulder) are about 400 °C. The temperature difference between the top and bottom surface of the plates is small, 10-15 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]