Microstructural Evaluation of Friction Surfaced Aluminium Alloy AA6063 Over Mild Steel

AA6063 aluminium alloy coating was deposited over IS2062 mild steel using friction surfacing technique and the microstructural evaluation was studied at various process parametric combinations to obtain relationships between the input parameters and grains interlocking which were observed from microstructural evaluation and with microhardness. The microstructural evaluation of the coating images across the interface using microstructure image analyzer and hardness was also measured across the interface using micro Vickers hardness. Studies revealed that no defect along the interface and very good bond integrity between aluminium alloy and mild steel. Coating exhibited fine grain size microstructure along the interface. It is noticed that aluminium alloy layers are cohesive with mild steel and coating layers dovetailed with base metal which is required for interface strength. Mechtrode rotational speed (N), axial load (F) Table speed (Vx) are noteworthy elements and influence the output parameters. Based on the observation of results more metal transfer at the parametric combination of higher axial load and traverse speed with lower rotational speed produced sound coating. Based on various ranges of parameters, combination of strong bond is obtained in a close range of parameters’ combination. Coating metal and base metal are incongruous and have propensity to form brittle inter-metallics