Geodesy

Quantum mechanics

Engineering

Traverse

Materials science

Friction stir welding

Ultimate tensile strength

Joint (building)

Polymer

Physics

Geography

Composite material

Structural engineering

Fracture (geology)

Shore durometer

Brittleness

Welding

Polymer science

Flexural strength

Rotational speed

The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology

The aim of this work is thermomechanical and experimental study on the effect of tool rotational and traverse speed on friction stir welding of PMMA T-joint. Development of temperature profile in the joint region was measured and compared with the results of thermomechanical modeling and tensile. Moreover, flexural and hardness tests were carried out for all samples. The results show that the highest tensile (~ 84% PMMA strength) and flexural (~ 93% PMMA strength) strength can be obtained at a 1600 rpm tool rotational speed and 25 mm/min traverse velocity. In these parameters, smooth surface and defect-free joint were produced. Fractographic studies of weldments indicate fracturing in brittle mode. Hackled regions in the tensile test on fracture surface and crack branches in flexural fracture surface were observed, showing that the PMMA shrinkage holes play crack initiation role in all of these phenomena. According to the results, the lowest hardness of stir zone was on the joint which was welded with 1600 rpm and 25 mm/min speed (75.5 Shore D) and highest hardness of stir zone was on the joint that was welded with 1000 rpm and 50 mm/min speed (85.6 Shore D).

Experimental and thermomechanical study on FSW of PMMA polymer T-joint