Effect of friction stir welding parameters on morphology and strength of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plate welds

• Influence of friction stir welding parameters on the quality of welds on ABS.
• Tool rotational speed and axial force are the most influential in the process.
• Good quality welds are feasible without external heating.
• Axial force contributes to material mixing and prevents the formation of cavities.

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of main friction stir welding (FSW) parameters on the quality of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plate welds. Welds were carried out in a FSW machine, using a tool with a stationary shoulder and no external heating system. The welding parameters studied were the tool rotational speed which varied between 1000 and 1500 (rpm); the traverse speed which varied between 50 and 200 (mm/min), and the axial force ranging from 0.75 to 4 (kN). The major novelty is to study the influence of the parameter axial force on FSW of polymers. Produced welds have always a tensile strength below the base material, reaching the maximum efficiencies of above 60 (%) for welds made with higher rotational speed and axial force. Good quality welds are achieved without using external heating, when the tool rotational speed and axial force are above a certain threshold. Above that threshold the formation of cavities and porosity in the retreating side of the stir zone is avoided and the weld region is very uniform and smooth. For low rotational speed and axial force welds have poor material mixing at the retreating side and voids at the nugget. For this reason the strain at break of these welded plates is low when compared with that of base material.

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