Author : Sucharitha V, V.Thirumal Reddy and Bhargavi Pokala

In Friction Stir Welding, the design of the tool is a critical factor as a good tool can improve the quality of the weld at the maximum possible welding speed. In present work an attempt is made to compare the tool pin profiles which are used in friction stir welding. The tool pin profile is an important factor which influences the weld joint. Threaded pins are useful in specific FSW applications where thread features would not survive without fracture or severe wear. Most of the studies in literature used threaded pins since most industrial applications currently use threaded pins. In this study six tools with different pin shapes (Cylindrical, Threaded Cylindrical, Conical, Threaded Conical, Frustum and Threaded Frustum) were designed in CATIA and analysis is performed in ANSYS. The structural and thermal analysis has performed simultaneously. The results of pin profiles were compared and the pin with optimum strength is determined.

Keywords: Friction stir welding, ANSYS, Tool pin profiles

Article published in International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology, Vol.6, No.1 (Feb-2016)