Structure and Hardness of 01570 Aluminum Alloy Friction Stir Welds Processed Under Different Conditions

Structure and hardness of the 01570 aluminum alloy joints processed by friction stir welding at various speeds are investigated. It is shown that increasing the traverse tool speed lowers the probability of macrodefect formation in the nugget zone; however, this can lead to anomalous grain growth in the zone of contact with the tool shoulder. Typical “onion-like” structure of the weld consisting of rings that differ by optical contrast is formed for all examined welding regimes. It is demonstrated that this contrast is caused by the difference in the grain sizes in the rings rather than by their chemical or phase composition. Mechanisms of transformation of the alloy structure during friction stir welding are discussed.