| Abstract Scope |
The welding of dissimilar materials with variation in thickness and composition has been a focus for industries due to complex design requirements that need to be strong and lightweight. Conventional fusion based methods are unable to join dissimilar metals because of physical and thermal material properties. Friction stir welding, a solid-state welding process, can weld dissimilar materials. However, friction stir welding has often resulted in low joint efficiency, mainly because of root defects in butt welding and hook features in lap welding. To address these issues, this research utilizes a lap-butt configuration, then microstructural characterization and mechanical testing were performed after welding. The results reveal improved joint efficiency in this configuration with uniform material mixing in weld nugget. The enhancement in mechanical properties may be attributed to the controlled interaction of the tool with steel, the formation of fragmented intermetallic compounds, a larger welding area, and superior interface quality. |