Mechanical and metallurgical characterization of friction stir welding joints of AA6061-T6 with AA6082-T6

A mechanical and metallurgical characterization of friction stir welded butt joints of aluminium alloy 6061-T6 with 6082-T6 was carried out. For comparison, similar material joints made from each one of the two alloys were used. The work included microstructure examination, microhardness, tensile and bending tests of all joints. An approximate finite element model of the joint, taking into account the spatial dependence of the tensile strength properties, was made, modelling a bending test of the weldments. This study shows that the friction stir welded dissimilar joint present intermediate mechanical properties when compared with each base material. In tensile tests the dissimilar joint displayed intermediate properties. For instance in the hardness profile the lowest values were obtained in the AA6082-T6 alloy plate side where rupture occurred, and in the nugget all type of joints present similar values. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.