A Numerical Study of Friction Stir Welding for AA5754 Sheets to Evaluate Temperature Profile and Plastic Strain

Abstract

A full-dimensions 3-D numerical model based on the Lagrangian approach has been employed to predict the peak temperature and the plastic strain distribution in the FSW of (AA5754) joints using ABAQUS software. The material’s model utilizes the classical plasticity model in addition to defining the thermophysical properties of the alloy using JMatPro software to increase the accuracy of the numerical results. The basic variables of FSW were three rotational speeds (930, 1460, and 1860 rpm) and three traverse speeds (35, 65, and 95 mm/min). The influence of the rotational and traverse speed on temperature profile and plastic strain has been studied. The simulation results showed that increasing the rotational speed led to increasing the peak temperature, which concentrated under the tool’s bottom surface while increasing the traverse speed decreased the peak temperature recorded. The highest peak temperature was (497 oC) at a rotational speed of (1860 rpm) and a traverse speed of (35 mm/min). It was also found that the rotational speed increased the plastic strain starting from the tool’s neck and continuing along the pins’ position and gradually decreasing towards the bottom. In addition, a V-shape pattern has appeared in the temperature distribution across the workpiece’s cross-section, representing the heat loss during the FSW by the backplate due to heat conductance.

Keywords

• numerical modelling
• lagrangian approach
• rotational speed
• peak temperature
• plastic strain