Effect of Process Parameters on Strength and Surface quality of Friction stir welded AA 6063-T6 Aluminum Alloy

The precipitation-hardened AA 6063 aluminum alloy, which contains magnesium and silicon as its primary alloying elements, is used for general-purpose applications. Friction stir welding is introduced as a versatile and cost-effective solid-state technique for joining such alloys. The focus of the paper is on optimizing the welding process to achieve the highest ultimate strength and the lowest surface roughness of the weld. AA 6063 aluminum alloy, which is precipitation-hardened and contains magnesium and silicon, is commonly used in various applications. The process of connecting these aluminum alloys involves friction stir welding. This technique is known for its versatility and cost-efficiency, especially for solid-state joining of materials. The quality of the weld depends on several important process parameters, including tool profile, rotation speed, and traverse speed. These parameters need to be optimized to produce a defect-free weld. This paper aims to optimize the ultimate strength of the weld. To do this, micro tension tests are conducted, and the optimization is achieved using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The highest tensile strength, 133.576 N/mm², with a tiny percentage error of 1.455%, is obtained using a Tapered Threaded (TTH) tool profile and a spindle speed of 1000 rpm and a table feed rate of 20 mm/min, according to the data. And also examines the impact of the process parameters on surface roughness. A surface profilometer is used for this purpose. The results suggest that the Tapered Threaded tool profile results in both increased weld strength and reduced surface roughness. Current paper notes that tool forces and surface roughness decrease with an increase in welding speed and feed. The lowest surface roughness value obtained is Ra = 0.822 µm, corresponding to a feed rate of 20 mm/min. In order to produce greater ultimate strength and reduced surface roughness, the friction stir welding parameters for AA 6063 aluminum alloy are optimized in this paper. The Tapered Threaded tool profile is highlighted as an effective choice for improving both weld strength and surface quality