Fractography Analysis and Modeling Studies on Friction Stir Welded AA6061/SiC Composite,

The Friction Stir Welding (FSW) process has proven to be an efficient, reliable, eco-friendly and it is also recorded as one of the most significant welding processes. Weldability is highly depends on the uniform dispersion of reinforcement particles in matrix in welded zone. In this study, the influence of FSW parameters such as Rotational Speed (RS), Axial Force (AF) and Traverse Speed (TS) on tensile strength of aluminium (AA6061)/SiC composite made by stir casting process are
analyzed by using Response Surface Method (RSM). The optimum working condition is identified as; RS of 600 rpm followed by AF of 8 KN and TS of 20 mm/min to obtain an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 164.1 MPa. The obtained regression equation is found to have 99% correlation
with the experimental observations. Further the influence study on FSW parameters on Al/SiC composite reveals that RS has a significant effect in determining the weldability followed by AF and TS. Microscopy examination performed on the fractured surface shows a uniform dispersion of SiC particles that enhance the superior tensile property of the composite