Effect of Fatigue Life of Dissimilar Aluminium Alloy (AA 5083 - AA 6062) Joining by Friction Stir Welding
The effect of processing parameters on the mechanical and microstructural properties of dissimilarAA5083–AA6062 joints produced by friction stir welding was analysed in this study. Different samples were produced by varying the advancing speeds of the tool as 5 mm/min and by varying the alloy positioned on the advancing side of the tool. In all the experiments the rotating speed is fixed at1200 RPM. All the welds were produced perpendicularly to the rolling direction for both the alloys. Microhardness (HV) and tensile tests performed at room temperature were used to evaluate the mechanical properties of the joints. For the mechanical fatigue tests, a resonant electromechanical testing machine was employed under constant loading control up to 10 Hz sine wave loading. The fatigue tests were conducted in the axial total stress–amplitude control mode, with R = rmin/rmax = -1. In order to analyse the microstructural evolution of the material, the welds’ cross-sections a SEM observation was made of the fracture surfaces.