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Numerous industrial applications, particularly those in the transport industry, require the joining of dissimilar materials which offers considerable benefits in terms of low cost, design flexibility, and weight reduction for overall structures. The problems associated with conventional fusion welding processes have stimulated researchers in recent years to develop new joining methods for dissimilar materials which are particularly difficult to join. Friction stir welding (FSW) originally developed for joining difficult-to-weld Al-alloys and FSSW (a variant of FSW for spot welding) have exhibited great potential for obtaining sound joints in various dissimilar alloy systems in different configurations namely butt-, lap- and spot-welding, particularly in dissimilar Al-alloys systems with different properties, which are very difficult to weld using conventional fusion welding techniques. A major difficulty in joining dissimilar Al-alloys by FSW/FSSW lies in the discontinuity in mechanical and technological properties (such as high-temperature strength, plastic deformation capacity, viscosity, etc.) of the materials to be welded across the abutting surfaces. This discontinuity as well as inherent asymmetry in heat generation and material flow of FWS/FSSW processes causes a higher asymmetry in materials flow behavior in dissimilar welding. However, it is relatively easier to implement the FSW/FSSW process to dissimilar Al-alloys in contrast to FSW of dissimilar materials combinations with very differing properties, such as Al-alloy to Mg-alloy or Al-alloy to steel.

Arc welding is a widely applied process in the fabrication of stainless steel structures. Various difficulties may arise in joining of these steels, particularly if high heat input is used. The main aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of heat input on microstructure of the joint region and thus on the mechanical behavior of gas metal arc welded AISI 304 L austenitic plates. To this end, AISI 304 L plates with a thickness of 5 mm were butt-welded by employing two different heat input values. Detailed microstructural and mechanical characterization were carried out. In addition, the influence of heat input on the microstructure and joint performance values was also determined. The higher heat input resulted in a complete recrystallization at the heat affected zone whereas the base metal microstructure was maintained in the lower heat input joint. Both joints displayed strength matching within the weld region, thus exhibited slightly higher tensile strength than that of the base plate (102 %).

The demand for dissimilar joining of steel grades, namely austenitic stainless steels to low-alloy steels, may increase in near future owing to the fact that the storing of LNG is currently becoming a necessity, particularly in Europe, due to the shortage of supply or interruptions in the supply. Therefore, successful dissimilar joining of steel grades using traditional fusion welding techniques in such applications is required. In this study, butt-welded joints of AISI 316L austenitic steel and low-alloy steel plates (containing 9% Ni) of 10 mm thickness were fabricated by gas tungsten arc welding employing a Ni-based filler wire. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the weldment were examined by detailed optical microscopy, extensive micro-hardness measurements, and tensile tests. Further, fracture toughness of the joint at cryogenic temperatures (- 196 degrees C) was also determined by Charpy impact test. The dissimilar joint exhibited a high tensile strength of 633 MPa, which is higher than that of the lower-strength AISI 316L base plate (about 600 MPa), while its elongation (21%) was much lower due to confined plasticity. The lowest impact energy was displayed by HAZ-F notched specimens, namely about 62.6 J (0.83 J/mm(2)). However, it is still reasonably above the minimum impact energy specified for the LNG storage tanks, i.e., 0.75 J/mm(2).

The unique combination of very large strains, high temperatures and high strain rates inherent to friction stir welding (FSW) and friction stir processing (FSP) and their dependency on the processing parameters provides an opportunity to tailor the microstructure, and hence the performance of welds and surfaces to an extent not possible with fusion processes. While a great deal of attention has previously been focused on the FSW parameters and their effect on weld quality and joint performance, here the focus is on developing a comprehensive understanding of the fundamentals of the microstructural evolution during FSW/P. Through a consideration of the mechanisms underlying the development of grain structures and textures, phases, phase transformations and precipitation, microstructural control across a very wide range of similar and dissimilar material joints is examined. In particular, when considering the joining of dissimilar metals and alloys, special attention is focused on the control and dispersion of deleterious intermetallic compounds. Similarly, we consider how FSP can be used to locally refine the microstructure as well as provide an opportunity to form metal matrix composites (MMCs) for near surface reinforcement. Finally, the current gaps in our knowledge are considered in the context of the future outlook for FSW/P.

WOS: 000452499400011, The aim of this work is to investigate the mechanical properties and microstructures of friction-stir welded (FSWed) St52 structural steel joints. In this study, St52 steel plates with a thickness of 4 mm were butt-welded by friction-stir welding (FSW) using a tungsten carbide tool having a conical pin. The microstructure of the welded zone consists of equiaxed fine ferrite, grain boundary ferrite, Widmanstatten ferrite, and aggregates of ferrite + cementite. The microhardness measurements showed that the hardness of the welded zone was significantly higher than that of the base metal. The FSWed St52 joint exhibited a significant strength overmatching in the weld region and a strength performance similar to or slightly higher than that of the base plate.

WOS: 000404132100032, The mass saving potential of light-weight materials, such as Al alloys, is beneficial for fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions. However, the wide-spread use of these alloys has been long hindered due to the difficulty in fusion joining as well as their high cost. Welding of Al alloys, which are considered to be difficult to weld through conventional arc welding, is now possible by either of low heat input arc welding, high-power density fusion joining, such as laser beam welding and electron beam welding, or friction stir welding. Particularly, friction stir welding can be successfully applied to these materials owing to the fact that no melting takes place in the weld nugget. The aim of this overview is to summarize the developments in the joining of Al alloys over the recent years. This study is also intended to provide guidance for the industry and researchers dealing with joining of these alloys.

Nowadays, there is an increasing demand for the use of joining dissimilar metals in various industrial applications owing to the economic benefits and better joint performance. Ferritic stainless steel grades is a good alternative for austenitic ones in several applications as they display higher ductility and strength as well as better corrosion resistance in chloride environments. However, the poor ductility and low impact toughness of ferritic stainless-steel welded joints limit their wide-spread application. Thus, the demand for joining dissimilar ferritic and austenitic stainless steels is ever increasing in several engineering applications in various industries such as nuclear power plants, coal fired boilers, automobile manufacturing industry, chemistry and petro-chemistry industries, etc. Therefore, successful joining of these two different types of stainless steel grades using conventional fusion welding methods is rather important. In this study, the weldability of AISI 430 ferritic and AISI 304 austenitic steel plates using gas metal arc welding and the effect of heat input on microstructure and the mechanical properties were investigated. For this purpose, AISI 430 and AISI 304 plates with a thickness of 5 mm were joined using different heat input values. The microstructures evolved in the weld region of the joints and their mechanical properties were determined by detailed optical microscopy investigations, micro-hardness measurements and tensile tests. Thus, the influence of the heat input on the weldability of these two different stainless-steel plates using gas metal arc welding was also studied.

WOS: 000456282500006, Although friction stir welding (FSW) has widely been applied to aluminum alloys in several industries over the past three decades, it is not yet used in industry for joining of steels. The aim of this study is to characterize the microstructures and mechanical properties of FSWed dissimilar low carbon steels joint. The results indicated that the weld region is comprised of complex microstructures such as Widmanstatten ferrite, ferrite with or without carbide aggregates and grain boundary ferrite. The maximum hardness in the stir zone reached up to about 347 HV due to the solid state transformations and grain refinement. The welded plates displayed an ultimate tensile strength of about 389 MPa, which lies between the ultimate tensile strength of St37 and St52 steels, 373 and 526 MPa, respectively. Moreover, the yield strength of the dissimilar joint was found to be about 272 MPa, which is also between those of the base plates joined.

WOS: 000372307800037, In this study, the applicability of friction stir welding to cast NAB alloy (i.e., C95800) with a thickness of 9 mm has been investigated. The joint performance was determined by conducting optical microscopy, microhardness measurements, and mechanical testing (e.g., tensile and Charpy impact tests). The effect of stir intensity on joint performance was also determined. A grain refinement (equiaxed fine grain structure) as well as evolution of a Widmanstatten structure was achieved within the stir zone of all the joints produced. Thus, all of the joints produced exhibited higher proof stress (i.e., between 512 and 616 MPa) than that of the base material, i.e., 397 MPa. On the other hand, only half of the specimens exhibited higher tensile strength values than that of the base plate (i.e., 794 MPa), whereas the other specimens displayed lower tensile strength than the base plate due to the existence of weld defects, namely cold bonding and/or tunnel defect.

WOS: 000435426100004, The present study focuses on the applicability of friction stir welding to pure Pb plates. The joint performances are evaluated by optical microscopy, microhardness measurements, notch impact tests and three point bending tests. The effects of the tool rotational speed (1500, 2000 and 2500 rev/min) and welding speed (72, 100 and 125 mm/min) on the joint performance are determined. The results indicate that the welded joints exhibit similar or higher mechanical properties than those of the base material. Optimal joint performance was achieved with a rotational speed of 1500 rev/min and welding speed of 100 mm/min.

WOS: 000451968400003, In this study, the weldability of lower strength St 37 grade steel plate with a higher strength steel plate (i. e., St 44) using the friction stir welding technique has been studied. St 37 grade steel sheets are widely used in various industries. However, the joining of St 37 steel plates with higher strength grades such as St 44 grade steel is usually required when the strength of St 37 grade is not sufficient. Therefore, microstructural and mechanical properties of friction stir welded St 37-St 44 butt joints were investigated by conducting optical microscopy, microhardness measurements, and tensile testing. A fine-grained recrystallized microstructure was observed in the weld regions of the joints produced. The highest tensile strength, i. e. 385 MPa, was exhibited by the joint produced at 630 rev x min(-1).

Pisarenko Institute for Problems of Strength, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2nd International Conference on Material Strength and Applied Mechanics, MSAM 2019 -- 27 May 2019 through 30 May 2019 -- -- 153570, This study aims at investigating the formation of weld defects (i.e., pores) and determining the effect of pores on mechanical performance of the AA7075-T6 plate joints produced using cold metal transfer (CMT) gas metal arc welding (GMAW) technique. For this purpose, AA7075-T6 Al-alloy plates with a thickness of 2 mm were joined using CMT welding technique. The microstructural and mechanical properties of the welded plates were investigated by detailed optical microscopy investigations, micro-hardness measurements and tensile tests. A correlation between the joint performance and the formation of porosity in the fusion zone (FZ) was also attempted to show the effect of the presence of large pores on the mechanical behavior of the joint. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.

Pisarenko Institute for Problems of Strength, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2nd International Conference on Material Strength and Applied Mechanics, MSAM 2019 -- 27 May 2019 through 30 May 2019 -- -- 153570, The application of dual phase (DP) steels has been increasing significantly in the automotive industry because of their high strength as well as good ductility, thus, cold formability. These steels are generally joined using conventional welding methods such as resistance spot welding and laser welding in the production of automotive parts. In recent years, several studies have been conducted to investigate the possibility of joining the advanced high-strength steels such as DP steels using the solid-state friction stir welding (FSW) method due to its advantages over conventional fusion joining methods such as metallurgical benefits, energy efficiency, and environmental friendliness. The aim of this study is to investigate the microstructure, hardness and tensile properties of friction stir welded DP 600 steel plates. Thus, 1.5 mm thick DP 600 steel plates were friction stir butt-welded by a tungsten carbide stirring tool consisting of a concave shoulder having a diameter of 14 mm and a conical pin (angle=30°) with a diameter and length of 5 mm and 1.25 mm, respectively. In the weld trials conducted, the tool was tilted 2° and the down-force of the tool was kept constant at 6 kN. The tool rotation and traverse speeds used in FSW trials were 1600 rpm and 170 mm.min-1, respectively. The microstructure of friction stir welded zone comprised of main martensite, bainite, and refined ferrite. The average hardness of the stir zone has increased to about 400 HV. The tensile specimens failed in the base plate away from the weld zone and tensile strength as high as that of the base plate was obtained from the welded specimens, i.e., about 640 MPa. However, the elongation of the welded plates was significantly reduced, i.e. about 55% of that of the base. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd., FBA-2016-5509, This study was financed by the Scientific Research Projects Council of Karadeniz Technical University, under Grant No: FBA-2016-5509. Authors would like to thank Dr. Cemil Günhan ERHUY and Ermetal Automotive and Goods (ERMETAL) Inc., Bursa, Turkey for their support in supplying the initial material.