Influence of Friction-Stir-Welding Parameters on Texture and Tensile Behavior

A series of friction stir welding (FSW) was conducted on AZ31B Mg alloy plate by varying its key parameters, i.e., rotation speed and travel rate of the weld tool, to investigate the influence of thermo-mechanical input during welding process on the resulting texture and tensile behavior. Neutron diffraction texture measurements show that, with the systematic changes in the thermo-mechanical input during welding, there are corresponding changes in crystallographic texture that correlates well with the expected changes in deformation and recrystallization mechanisms. Furthermore, tensile behavior along the longitudinal direction was examined as a function of FSW parameters, and the results show dramatic changes in the strength and ductility in a way that is consistent with the changes in texture.