Friction Stir Welding
Department
Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science
Major
Nuclear Engineering
Research Advisor
Castano, Carlos H.
Advisor's Department
Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science
Funding Source
OURE
Abstract
This project studies the effects of welding similar alloys together and comparing those welds to the original metals. Trial welds were made to understand the programming and mechanics of the friction-stir-weld machine. Welds were made on a single aluminum sample and then butt welds were created by welding two samples of aluminum together. For this project, one welding pin was used and the metal samples were kept to a thickness of 0.25 inches. The largest problem encountered was the separation of the metal samples when attempting a butt-joint weld. When the rotating bit was forced into the metal, the two pieces would separate if not clamped well enough. Welds were visually inspected to verify that they were properly made. Further tests, both destructive and non-destructive, are needed to quantify what is happening to the metal in the weld.
Biography
Mitchell Smith is a non-traditional student with a family of four. He graduated from Brownstown High School in Brownstown, Illinois in 2006. He previously studied automotive collision repair and refinishing at Lincoln College of Technology in Indianapolis, Indiana and graduated from there in 2007. He is in his second semester at MS&T after transferring from a community college in mid-central Illinois. He is earning a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering. After graduation, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in nuclear engineering with an emphasis on fluid flow and heat transfer.
Research Category
Engineering
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Upper Atrium/Hall
Presentation Date
15 Apr 2015, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Friction Stir Welding
Upper Atrium/Hall
This project studies the effects of welding similar alloys together and comparing those welds to the original metals. Trial welds were made to understand the programming and mechanics of the friction-stir-weld machine. Welds were made on a single aluminum sample and then butt welds were created by welding two samples of aluminum together. For this project, one welding pin was used and the metal samples were kept to a thickness of 0.25 inches. The largest problem encountered was the separation of the metal samples when attempting a butt-joint weld. When the rotating bit was forced into the metal, the two pieces would separate if not clamped well enough. Welds were visually inspected to verify that they were properly made. Further tests, both destructive and non-destructive, are needed to quantify what is happening to the metal in the weld.
