Impact Energy Estimation of AISI304L/AA6063 Alloys Dissimilar Friction Welds Influenced by Various New Faying Surfaces: A Comparative Study

This research paper delves into an innovative approach for enhancing the faying surfaces in the rotary friction welding process. This study evaluates the impact energy in Joule (J) of friction-welded joints (FWJs) between dissimilar cylindrical rods made of AA6063 wrought aluminium and AISI304L austenitic stainless steel focusing on the influence of various faying surface designs and welding parameters. Additionally, the study conducts an in-depth analysis of various faying surface designs. A series of experiments were conducted using a Charpy V-notch tester to analyse 45 different FWJs with diverse surface modifications. Welding conditions such as friction pressure (FP), friction time, and upset pressure were varied to assess their effects on joint toughness. The aim was to utilize the low FP, spanning from 1.2 to 1.8 MPa, in the pursuit of optimizing the welding process. The results revealed notable variations in the impact energy values of FWJs in response to changes in both the faying surfaces of the specimens and the welding parameters. A5 trial achieved the highest impact energy at 38 J. Notably, joints with hemispherical faying surfaces exhibited enhanced toughness, with method N achieving 26 J. Adjustments to the faying surface design and welding conditions had a substantial impact on the toughness and energy absorption of the welded joints.