Auto-Adaptive Heat Source Model for Numerical Analysis of Friction Stir Welding

Abstract:

Heat generation is a dynamic process under solid state joining conditions during friction stir welding (FSW). In this article, a new heat source model in which heat generation, depending on yield stress and tool rotation speed, was established and was applied to simulate thermal field of FSW welded 2024-T3 panels. Results showed that for 2mm/s welding speed and 400rpm rotation speed, the simulated temperature-time curves on different positions corresponded well with measured results. With the increasing of rotation speed, temperature increased steadily but tended to a saturation state at high rotation speeds, which is consistent with the fundamentals of solid state joining.