Friction Stir Spot Welding of AA2024-T3 with Modified Refill Technique

The quality of welded joints of FSSW is mainly dependent on the processing parameters while the main disadvantage of this process is the creation of an exit hole. Process parameters, namely tool dimensions, tool rotational speed, and stir time were changed and their impact on bond dimensions and weld strength was investigated using 2024-T3 Al Alloy. Macro- and microstructures of the welded samples were examined; shear fracture loads were measured and the optimum set of operation variables was determined. To decrease the exit hole of the first stage the present paper proposes a modified two-stage weld-refill process employing the same welding machine. In this work, this two-stage process was referred to as reversed friction stir spot welding (ReFSSW). In the second stage, a smaller pin was used and the shoulder diameter was designed such that to force the metal of the upper plate to flow towards the exit hole of the first stage decreasing its dimensions. The metal flow in the second stage was evaluated by examining the microstructure of the metal that filled the exit hole of the first stage. Thin stir zone was found around the pin of the second stage followed by thermomechanically affected zone consisting of grains elongated in the vertical direction. The proposed process resulted in smaller exit hole dimensions and consequently higher mechanical properties compared with the conventional single-stage FSSW.