Friction Stir Welding of Laser-powder Bed Fusion Manufactured A20X

Abstract

This study investigates butt friction stir welding of 4 mm thick A20X plates, which were produced using additive manufacturing through laser-powder bed fusion. The plates were joined at varying process parameters, including different welding and rotational speeds. Both the microstructure and the mechanical strength of the joints were examined, comparing joints in both as-printed and as-welded conditions.
The joints welded at a welding speed of 100 mm/min and a rotational speed of 1500 rpm exhibited superior mechanical properties compared to those produced with other parameter settings. The results show that decreasing the rotational speed while increasing the welding speed leads to the formation of tunnel defects, compromising joint integrity and resulting in lower ultimate tensile strength. In contrast, the combination of 100 mm/min welding speed and 1500 rpm rotational speed produced defect-free joints, with an average ultimate tensile strength of 335 MPa and an elongation at fracture of 8.5%.