Modelling and Pareto optimization of mechanical properties of friction stir welded AA7075/AA5083 butt joints using neural network and particle swarm algorithm

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) has been successfully used to weld similar and dissimilar cast and wrought aluminium alloys, especially for aircraft aluminium alloys, that generally present with low weldability by the traditional fusion welding process. This paper focuses on the microstructural and mechanical properties of the Friction Stir Welding (FSW) of AA7075-O to AA5083-O aluminium alloys. Weld microstructures, hardness and tensile properties were evaluated in as-welded condition. Tensile tests indicated that mechanical properties of the joint were better than in the base metals. An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was developed to simulate the correlation between the Friction Stir Welding parameters and mechanical properties. Performance of the ANN model was excellent and the model was employed to predict the ultimate tensile strength and hardness of butt joint of AA7075-AA5083 as functions of weld and rotational speeds. The multi-objective particle swarm optimization was used to obtain the Pareto-optimal set. Finally, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was applied to determine the best compromised solution. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.