Abstract Scope |
As a critical factor in friction stir welding, tool tilt angle plays an important role in ensuring the weld quality. To investigate the influence of tool tilt angle on the thermomechanical process variables, the stress condition on the tool/materials contact interface is conducted, and a numerical model is developed to analyze the material flow, heat generation and transfer behavior at three levels of tool tilt angle. The results show that with the increase of tool tilt angle from 1.5° to 4°, the fluidity of the material behind the tool is enhanced, and the tendency of the material to move around the tool toward the advancing side is stronger, but the upward flow of the material is slightly weakened. And with the increase of tool tilt angle from 1.5° to 4°, the interface heat flux and the viscous dissipation heat density near the tool increase, so that the total heat generation increases, the peak temperature on the interface increases, and the position of the peak temperature turns counterclockwise toward the advancing side. At the same time, the thermo-mechanically affected zone is expanded when tool tilt angle increases. |