Abstract:The potential of friction stir forming for joining dissimilar grades of aluminum alloys namely, AA 5052-H32 and AA 6061-T6, was investigated. Study on the effect of tool plunge depth revealed that, lap shear load of 7.16 kN and cross-tensile load of 3.51 kN, recorded at medium tool plunge depth range from 0.5 to 0.7 mm, measured using a universal testing machine, were much larger than those of friction stir welded and friction stir spot welded joints fabricated on the same materials. Joint macrostructure observed with optical microscope revealed that joints were strengthened either by mechanical pin interlocking or by metallurgical bonding. The effect of tool plunge depth on the stir zone formation and the influence of frictional heat flux on the lower sheet were revealed through the microhardness measurement using Vickers hardness tester. Morphological studies revealed that tool plunge depth has a significant influence on the pin formation and the geometric features, generated in these joints. Occurrence of various failure modes such as pin pull-out, pin shear, partial bond delamination, and tear-off, were governed by the formation of critical weak zones at various tool plunge depths.

Key words: friction stir forming; tool plunge depth; aluminum alloy; lap shear test; cross-tension test; failure modes