Investigation on process parameters and optimization of microstructural characterization of dissimilar copper CDA 101/steel AISI-SAE 1010 friction stir weld joints

The current study aims to explore the impact of friction stir welding (FSW) parameters on the tensile strength of dissimilar joint materials. A copper grade CDA 101 and an AISI-SAE low-carbon steel grade 1010 were selected as the dissimilar materials to analyze the tensile strength of the weld joints. The axial force, tool rotational speed, and welding speed were selected as process parameters for the weld joint fabrication process. The influence of the process constraints was investigated using the Taguchi technique, which is based on the L9 orthogonal array. Investigation of variance and signal-to-noise ratio were considered to forecast the ideal welding process constraints, and their percentage of contribution was computed by comparing the anticipated and actual welding process parameters. The test results revealed that the speed of the tool and the downward force (axial) exerted on the joint played a substantial impact on the joint strength. The maximum tensile strength of the Cu-steel dissimilar weld joints is found as 189 MPa which is determined during optimal welding process parameter values having tool rotating speed of 1100 rpm, welding speed of 40 mm/min, and an axial force of 6 kN. The FSW joints were inspected under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and with an EDAX to identify the micro patterns and fracture surface of the joints.