A review on Friction Stir Welding: An environment friendly welding technique

Conventional welding techniques like arc welding, tungsten inert gas welding (TIG), metal inert gas welding (MIG) etc.; causes health problems like bronchitis, airway irritation, lung function changes, lung fibrosis, asthma and a possible increase in the incidence of lung cancer due to the emission of exhaust gases coming from the traditional arc welding. In this context an environment friendly technique has been invented at The Welding Institute (TWI), U.K. known as Friction Stir Welding. The process makes the use of non-consumable tool with a specially designed shoulder and pin. The rotating tool pin gets inserted in to abutting surface of the plates to be joined and the rotating tool translated along the weld direction to cause severe plastic deformation (SPD) in the nugget zone to produce a permanent weld joint. The present paper presents a review on FSW of Aluminum alloys and effect of input parameters i.e. tool rotational speed, feed rate, tool geometry etc. and their effect on mechanical, thermal and microstructural properties.